The Legend of Zelda: Republic in Crisis
by Viennaiswaiting
Summary: Hyrule went through many cycles in its history, each tied to the awakening of the Triforce. The last time ended in civil war, and evil still threatens the newly-established Republic of Hyrule. But the hero, Link, must travel from afar to save the world.
1. Prologue and Introductions

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

-PROLOGUE-

Far above the clouds of the land, in the midst of time and space, the three goddesses met to discuss the problems of the land. A fierce civil war ended, partially caused by the goddesses themselves, and they had the dilemma of whether to intervene again.

[Farore] The hero's time has come again. Let us choose the three, those who will usher in a new era of peace.

[Nayru] But sister, the world has changed so much in so little time. We have been forgotten - we are unneeded in this era of technology and disbelievers.

[Din] Then we should show that we are needed by restoring the natural balance of the universe.

[Farore] She is right, the tide of history has created a path that has removed the good in much of the world.

[Nayru] Let you not forget how our last intervention created a civil war, causing bloodshed and casualties without any victor. Each of the chosen ones died before the turmoil ended. We agreed to let humanity run its course.

[Din] But it is a course that we caused.

[Nayru] I can imagine no favorable outcome, none better than our last intervention. Nevertheless, if you both agree, I will not say no in resurrecting the Triforce on the mortal grounds. I caution you two to be more intrusive on this occasion. There is no reason to let an unfavorable ending occur.

[Farore] Then let the Triforce reawaken in the chosen individuals, and the legends of history shall be written again.

The goddesses descended to the land below, entering a group of humans destined to save the world.

-Chapter 1-

Link sharply rose in his bed. _Was it just a dream?_ he thought. The room was dark, and he tried remembering what was going through his head just moments before... it dealt with light and dark, a princess, an emperor, and a hero, but these were common dreams. After all, Link was named after the legendary Hyrulian hero, and people regularly reminded him how important he would be.

Thinking more about the dream, Link did not worry. He had never stepped foot in Hyrule, so he couldn't be the _Hero of Time_ of legend. He was born and raised in Torrhes, located in Arcadia, the neighbor of the Republic of Hyrule. Still, the dream was so vivid, but he had no one to tell. Since he turned 12, he was expected to care for himself, as per the customs of the village. However interested he was in an answer, he was now 17, and his quiet courage meant he shouldn't bother anyone.

With his thoughts stirring, he found it difficult to go back to sleep. It was the middle night, but Link decided to leave his hut for a few hours. He brought only his trusty bow, given to him by his godmother Aryll, and his silver arrows, given to him by Aryll's father and Link's mentor Sahasrahla. Walking out into the dark, Link noticed how the moonlight reflected off of the arrow tips. _This really is the best gift I've ever gotten_, Link thought. Trying to forget about his dream as he walked in solitude, his thoughts wandered toward Aryll and Sahasrahla.

Aryll was the village blacksmith, the only woman at that position in all of the country. Trained by her father in the art of swordsmanship, Aryll planned to join her nation's army, only to be turned down due to her gender. She was the closest Link had to a mother figure. Her expertice in combat created an aura of power that everyone respected. Now that Link was of age, she began teaching him the way of the sword, although he had yet to receive one of his own.

Link walked past the house of Aryll and her father Sahasrahla, the latter who became more of a friend than mentor in recent years. The old man was the one who told Link about his childhood, how his mother died during a harsh winter when he was 3, and how his father was killed after joining the Arcadian army. Sahasrahla knew Link's father, since he was a veteran of the great war, and consequentially he took the young orphan under his watch. The old man also taught the boy magic lessons, which Link only did to humor him. He doubted whether any magic existed in the world anymore.

Tired but restless, Link's feet carried him along the small stream toward the open field behind a barn, to the east of town. He used the field as an area for his bow training, and tonight he intensely practiced for an hour, shooting toward the great oak tree, the scarecrow, and the picket fence. He reveled how the arrows maintained their shape after such extensive usage. _It must be magic_, Link laughed.

After one set of shots, Link noticed it was getting brighter in the direction of the town. As he straddled the field to recover his arrows, he didn't think anything of it getting brighter. He aimed toward the oak tree, which was the midpoint between the farm and the mountain range to the east. Pausing before he took the shot, Link was puzzled. The sun always rises over the mountains, but it was getting brighter in the west. _Something must be wrong_, he realized, and he quickly put his supplies away. He headed west through the field, but once he reached the barn, Link stopped in his tracks: a red glow emanated over the skies above, and half of Torrhes was on fire.

His heart sinking, Link instinctively ran toward the house of Sahasrahla and Aryll. The smoke built as he approached the town, but there was no one outside to combat the blaze.

"FIRE! HELP - SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Link shouted. His heart sunk as he saw the little hut incinerating before his eyes.

"Is anyone in there?" Link yelled, coughing as the red smoke increased. He ran around the hut, hoping to find a way in, but it was engulfed in flames so hot he could not even enter. Rushing to the backyard, Link found a bucket and ran toward the stream. He glanced for a second at the mountains in the distance. There was a shadowy figure... no, two people, running away from the village. _Cowards_, Link thought, before he filled the bucket and dashed toward the house.

Link threw the water onto the hut, but nothing happened. He ran back to the stream and repeated the process, but to no avail. The fire kept burning, and a blueish hue developed in the flames.

"IS ANYONE IN THERE?" The smoke continued, and Link's despair grew as a swirling cloud ascended into the sky. His village, his home, was to be destroyed by two fiends, and there was nothing to do.

Quietly, he turned away as a tear trickled down his face. He knelt and prayed to the goddesses.

_Din, Nayru, Farore_

_Please forgive our town. We try to lead a simple life. We are not looking for adventure or excitement; we just long for peace._

Link suddenly stopped as he felt a strange presence from within. He stood, feeling calm as a surge of power rose through his body. Overcome by the new sensation, he intently looked toward the town in flames, raised his arms, and saw a green light leave his hands. With difficulty and concentration, Link guided the light, first onto the hut where Aryll lived, and then throughout the town to extinguish the fire.

Eventually, the last of the embers subsided.

Exhausted beyond belief, Link fell into a very deep sleep in the middle of Torrhes.

Next chapter:

The townspeople see Link passed out, and assume he started a fire in a drunken haze. Even Link has doubts, since he doesn't remember putting out the fire. But will an unlikely witness come forth? And will Link find who started the fire?


	2. Heroes

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

…_was that a dream_? Link suddenly bolted up in his bed, trying to remember what happened before he got there. He vaguely recalled an adventure, but he couldn't be sure whether it happened or not. It was a vivid dream… and he saved a bunch of people.

Link looked around his little hut, and a patch of sunlight crept across the floor toward the foot of his bed. He was used to unusual dreams, but this one was so vivid he swore it actually happened. He started shooting arrows by the field, and then the town was on fire.

He shrugged and closed his eyes, feeling unusually tired. He was supposed to meet with Sahasrahla that day, but those pointless magic lessons could wait.

_Magic_…

_I used magic last night in my dream!_ Suddenly energized, he quickly arose from his bed, and noticed he was still wearing his traveling clothes – he always had a pair of brown boots, a green tunic, a white long-sleeve shirt underneath, and a running hood.

His heart pulsed rapidly with excitement… _that wasn't a dream_, he thought. _I really did use magic! I'm the town hero!_

Link couldn't wait to receive the praise around town. He had stopped the work of an arsonist... no, two arsonists! He got annoyed the two people got away, running away from the town.

But why wouldn't the fire go out with water? And why wouldn't anyone answer?

Perplexed, but determined to be the hero, Link walked proudly out of his hut. He was greeted by a crowd of people… _of course_, he thought.

…but the people weren't happy. Many were bearing threatening objects, like a shovel or a Deku stick. Suddenly, the crowd erupted into fits of screams.

"GET HIM! Show him what it's like to be trapped!" shouted Heraeth, the village priestess.  
"Take your magic elsewhere you…" screamed Tallon, the rancher.

"Wait, you don't understand…" Link tried to butt in, but his neighbors-turned-haters wouldn't let him. He searched frantically for Aryll or Sahasrahla, but he couldn't find them.

"Light him on fire!"  
"Banish him, we don't need him."  
"All these years I let him feed my cuccos. I'm surprised he didn't light them on fire."

"Stop it, stop it! I saved you…" Link shouted.

"Hey Hero of Time, go save another village and leave us alone!"

"Enough", exclaimed a quiet voice. The crowd grew silent. An old man hobbled through the mob toward Link. With a cane in his hand, a ruby war pennant on his vest, and a sapphire stopwatch, the man had an aura that projected dignity and order.

"Sahasrahla…" Link whispered. Finally, the old man, no, friend of his would fix the situation. His daughter Aryll walked behind him through the crowd and waited, followed by another female that Link did not know.

"Now what is this all about? Did any of you see what this young man actually did last night?" Sahasrahla asked. Link was nervous; he wasn't even entirely sure what he did last night. The crowd stayed quiet, until one young boy stepped forward.

"I saw him, and then half of the village was on fire. He was doing a dance, and his arms were stretched out, keeping us immobilized while our homes burned," uttered the short boy, whose flaming red hair stood out amongst the townspeople. Link immediately distrusted him.

"As it so happens, young lad, I too saw Link last night. He first awoke me and asked for help, but I was too tired. Nonetheless, I watched him from my window as he tried to put out the fire with water, bucket by bucket, but by Din he failed." The crowd hung onto the every word of Sahasrahla, not quite as eager to use their weapons of choice.  
"Then, we both prayed to the heavens. He stretched his arms out, and put out the fire. I walked out to greet him, and I helped the boy back to his house." Link was annoyed at being called boy, but grew curious... how did he know what happened the previous night? His story was only loosely true. Before pondering further, Sahasrahla continued.  
"Does this really need a criminal investigation? That's exactly the behavior that started the Great War."

The old man coughed, and when it appeared he was done, the boy with the red hair spoke up. "Then who started the fire?"

"Oh... some things are better left unasked, young man. For all we know, it could have been our friend Rylet, who had one too many and knocked over his candle. " The crowd suddenly turned toward a portly man of 30, who looked bewildered. A murmur arose in the crowd, but without any further answers, the people returned toward their daily activities. After a few minutes, the only people remaining outside of the hut were Link, Aryll, Sahasrahla, and a hooded woman who had not said a word.

"Link, congratulations for finally doing magic! All of those years of training finally paid off. Now if only you could hold onto that sword, you might have a chance at beating me in a duel." Aryll joked as she walked back to her hut. Link watched as she left, and noticed the boy with red hair was watching their every movement from behind the bushes.

"Good work there. Never give any more truth than you have to." Sahasrahla warned Link. "I'll be back later for your magic lesson. Pardon me while I walk my friend to her destination." Without warning, the old man and the hooded woman walked toward the road out of town. Link was about to walk after them, but he wasn't in the mood. He would have a chance later on to ask all of the questions on his mind. Still, most of the village didn't really like him at the moment, and he had nothing planned for the day, so he walked toward Aryll's shop to take her up on her offer.

He glanced toward the bushes where the boy was standing, but he was not there. Shrugging, Link trudged down the main pathway through town. As he reached the wooden bridge over the stream, he heard a loud splash, followed by a "HELP!"

Link ran over to the side of the bridge, and saw the boy with the red hair struggling to stay afloat in the raging stream. "I CAN'T SWIM, HELP!"

Without thinking, Link jumped headfirst into the water. He knew the stream led into the Upper Zora River less than a mile from town, and he had to help the boy before he got trapped in the dangerous waterway.

Dodging rocks, waves, and skullfish, Link swam as quick as he could to reach the boy. He followed the red hair as intently as he could, but was distracted when a skullfish swam right in front of him and bit his finger. He pushed the fish to the side, but then the boy was gone. Link dove into the stream - fifteen feet deep by that point - and in the distance he saw the boy descending into the waters; a rock stopped him from floating further, and Link momentarily paused as he pondered whether or not to leave the boy there. He did unfairly question my friend, after all.

Link caught eyes with the boy, and felt like he was staring into the eyes of death.

_No_, he thought, _the Hero of Time wouldn't act like this._ He dove down, and struggled, but succeeded in lifting the boy up and out of the water and onto the riverbank. The boy gasped for air; meanwhile, Link pounded the side of his head to get the water out of his ear.

"Thanks, I guess." the boy started.

"Yea, yea." grunted Link, annoyed. He didn't care much for the hero title, getting such little appreciation. Why couldn't he have an adventure that actually had some meaning? Frustrated, he knew he would have a talk with Sahasrahla. As he got up, Link turned toward the boy and asked, "What's your name, by the way?"

"I'm Bouer... you saved my life." the boy replied.

"Just be more careful next time when you're spying on someone." Link walked away from Bouer, and he knew immediately he did not like him.

Still dripping wet, he trudged toward the town, and moments later, a woman ran up to Link and gave him a hug.

Startled, Link screamed "What was that for?"

"I saw what you just did. You saved that boy's life - you are a hero!" the woman replied. "Maybe I was wrong about you earlier. I know this is unusual, but here, take these 5 rupees, you deserve them for how you were treated. Just wait until I tell the girls..."

"Thanks... I guess..." Link was very confused, and just wanted someone to talk to.

* * *

~Things are heating up in Link's life. He'll get his wish for more adventure, trust me.

Sneak peak for the next chapter:

Link duels with Aryll, and learns disturbing information from Sahasrahla.


	3. The Dream

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

As his feet trudged on the road toward Aryll's house, Link's thoughts wandered. He didn't realize until that day, but he had been feeling lonely lately. He felt out of place in Torrhes. He had no friends left in town - all of his schoolmates escaped the village to do greater things. One enrolled in the Arcadian military, another studied alchemy at the university in Drigoor - the capital city, and his childhood crush, Malon, joined the nation's peacekeeping force by traveling to the surrounding nations.

Link was tired of his simple lifestyle. Although he was now 17 and could legally choose his own destiny, he felt trapped in the small village. There always seemed to be a need for Link in Torrhes, whether he had to find Anju's cucoos when they got loose, or tend to Mr. Olem's farm when he was ill. Even Aryll and Sahasrahla prevented Link from leaving the town; there was always an urgency for Link to learn another sword technique, or to take some letter to the post office.

_The Hero of Time should be out there fighting bad guys, not fixing broken fences!_ Link thought as he reached the entranceway into Aryll's hut. It was a medium-sized building, adorned with two furnaces in opposite corners and a pathway to a room in the back. Red curtains along the three walls kept out any light, and there were a series of candles along the ceiling. He couldn't imagine being stuck in side while the outside was on fire.

Link heard the familiar _cling-clang_ coming from the back room where Aryll worked. Ordinarily, he'd just sit off to the side and wait, and today he should have, considering his exhaustion from the previous 24 hours. However, he was in the mood for a fight. He walked over to the table on the side, picked out a short sabre, and walked down toward the back room. Aryll had promised Link a sword once he beat her, but he had no luck thus far. _I just might have the upper-hand this time._

Tiptoeing onto the floor, Link saw Aryll crouched over a sword. He pointed the sabre toward her back, and loudly declared, "Duel me."

"Oh Link, I'm glad you're here." Aryll started with a motherly tone that indicated it wasn't time to duel. Link grumbled as she continued, "I have to finish this sword for Mr. Boratti, he is going hunting next week and..."

"No, I don't care. I wanted to fight. I'm sick of this village, I want to do something, _anything!_" Link complained as he turned and stomped away from her. Suddenly, he felt a slice across his forearm, and there was a trickle of blood dripping on the floor. For the first time in weeks, Link smiled.

"Don't ever walk away from a duel challenge, especially if it's your own." Aryll declared. She held onto a long scimitar, and swung it toward Link. He quickly deflected it, and parried it toward her right shoulder.

Aryll countered it and swung her leg under Link's two feet. He jumped, which Aryll expected, and she pushed him down to the ground. Panting heavily, Link felt dejected. _How could I travel the world when I can't win a stupid sword fight? _

"You're getting better boy, you just need to practice and get more sleep!" Aryll turned and continued pounding away on the piece of metal on the table. _Cling-clang_. "Now... I'm impressed with what you did last night. Sahasrahla says your magic feat was quite something, which is surprising since it seems he's only interested in _her_ these days." Aryll pounded harder on the piece of metal.

"To be honest, I don't really remember what I did." Link started, hoping he wasn't saying anything too stupid to get her upset. He wasn't sure who "her" was, and Aryll never usually got upset at her father.

"Spoken like a true warrior! If only you could bring some of that attitude to your fighting skills." _Cling-clang. Cling-clang. _The woman, the closest thing Link had to a mother, crouched over the table, looking much more tired than usual.

"Yea... but how am I supposed to be the Hero of Time if I can't control what I do?"

The clanging stopped. _I must've said something stupid_, Link thought. Aryll turned around to him, and growled, "Boy, I don't know why you keep thinking that. The gods don't care about us anymore. Don't you remember your history classes? Arcadia was founded..."

"...yea, yea, as a compromise from the Great War so the royalists could peacefully leave Hyrule. But what does that have to do with the goddesses?" Link asked, wondering what got Aryll so upset.

"The so-called gods only cared about Hyrulians, not that it matters." Aryll was getting riled up, but took a deep breath before continuing. "Listen, I'm sorry. Why don't you go play outside? You're too young to worry about these matters."

She picked her hammer back up and resumed the _cling-clang_ that was shaping the sword. Link was annoyed at being treated like he was a child. He ordinarily would have objected, but he didn't feel like it. His 18th birthday was a month away, at which point he was officially considered an adult. He could wait that long.

As he turned to walk toward the front door, he saw a face trying to peer into the window. "I swear, if it's that kid with the red hair, I'm going to punch his face!" Link exclaimed.

"Link! Control your temper. He just wants some company, I'm sure. Go outside while you can, and come back tomorrow to deliver this sword once it's done." Aryll shouted from the back.

Annoyed, Link walked out the door, and sure enough, he saw Bouer, the boy he saved from the river, hiding behind the bushes next to the hut. His red hair was still wet, but Link saw that he was younger than he initially thought, maybe 13 at most.

"What do you want?" Link spat at the kid.

"You saved my life... I'm sorry." the boy replied. Link didn't care what he was apologizing for, and he didn't care for Aryll's advice. He walked toward the house of Sahasrahla, hoping for some positive news. Link noticed Bouer was following him.

"What do you want?" Link repeated as he quickened his pace. He didn't want to be bothered by some kid.

"You know the great Sahasrahla, right? He's a legend where I come from." Bouer shouted as he started to run. Link stopped for a moment. Sahasrahla never told him about his past, and Link never really knew he was known by anyone outside of his village.

"Yea, I know him. What do you want though?" Link replied with some concern.

"I must talk to him, err... I'd like to talk to him if I could. It's really important, well, pretty important." the boy stated. Link wasn't sure whether to trust him or not.

"Well, he's not around now, but he'll be back later. I'll let him know you're looking for him. Where are you staying?" Link asked.

"Oh, it's no big deal. I'll just... I'll see you around, Link." Bouer walked away, leaving Link puzzled, since he didn't remember telling the boy his name.

By the time he reached the house of Sahasrahla, Link was quite tired - the previous night, the river rescue, and the sword fight had drained him.

He knew Sahasrahla wouldn't be back for a while, so he went inside his hut to wait. There was a large purple sofa on the right side, which looked very inviting. He quickly fell into a deep sleep.

_A large circular chamber held hundreds of people, with a group of people seated in the center. Link sat on the outskirts with the rest of the crowd, everyone watching in silence. A tall, powerful man with flaming-red hair took the podium in the midst of what appeared to be a trial. A familiar-looking woman stood up to await her sentence._

_"Senator Orion, how can you represent your own party when you can hardly represent your own country? It is a crime for any Hyrulian to visit the savages, and is the worst sort of behaviour expected of an elected official."_

_The senator remained silent. A murmur grew in the crowd, before someone shouted "KILL THE PRINCESS!"_

_"The crowd speaks, senator," the large man roared, signaling a silence in the crowd. "Do you wish to as well?" the large man replied. The woman waited a second and cleared her throat._

"Link..."

_"Prime Minister, I do not rescind my actions. Half of this Senate is under mind control..." the woman started as the crowd grew louder._

"Link!"

_"...and the other half is too afraid to do anything!" The woman walked up to the Prime Minister's podium._

_"So you decided to play rough, Princess? A very foolish move, even for you." The Prime Minister stepped down and stood face to face with the woman. He drew his sword, and the crowd erupted into applause._

_"You can't do this Ganon," the woman whispered, with only a trace of fear. _

_The Prime Minister didn't listen, and he swung his sword toward the woman. A flash of silver light filled the room, and..._

"OWW!" Link jumped suddenly after Sahasrahla poked him with his cane.

"Link, we have to leave, something happened to my friend."

* * *

So things are happening in Link's world all around him, and soon he'll start to notice it.

Next chapter: Link goes on an adventure


	4. The Adventure Begins

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

Without saying anything else, Saharsahla walked out the door, leaving Link somewhat in a daze. He wiped his eyes and tried to remember what he was dreaming about. Frustrated at being awoken, Link ran out of the hut toward his old friend, who was quickly hobbling down the dirt path to the south of town.

"Sarsa - should we get Aryll? She could..." Link started

"No, she would only make things worse," the old man interrupted as he walked with an intense look on his face.

"How could she..."

"Link, please do not ask questions and just follow me."

"But what happened?"

"You will see when you get there."

Link had never seen his mentor act like this. He never had reason to question the old man, but Link had also never seen him insult his own daughter like that. Saharsahla looked older than usual, his hair gray and frail, his clothes battered and torn, and his limp worse than usual as his hand shakily held his blue cane. Link trusted Saharsahla's war training and his instincts, but he didn't want to play hero at the moment. He'd even rather be playing with the red-haired boy, not going on some dangerous adventure. Link always pretended that he was the legendary Hero, but he didn't want to pretend anymore, not after the village caught on fire, not after risking his life to save some boy, and not after endless sword lessons.

After a few hours of walking in silence, Link spoke up. "Sarsa, if it's alright I want to go back."

"No." The old man flatly responded. Link stopped in his tracks, annoyed by the curt response.

"I'm not feeling well, I want to go back home." Link tried again. It was true, he was nervous about what they were doing, and he just wanted time to figure out what he was doing. Worst of all, he was slightly afraid at the prospect of him actually being the legendary Hero.

"I need you to come with me. My friend is in trouble."

"But what happened? And who was it?"

Sahasrahla finally gave in. "You are old enough for me to tell you this." Link waited intently for his mentor to continue speaking, he always knew the old man was hiding plenty of information.

"You see..." the old man started. "I am not sure what happened, but we are going into the right direction. You will understand someday how to read the winds to know what is happening. Tell me, what do you feel right now?"

Link had his share of doubts about his mentor's brand of magic. He had never seen Sahasrahla perform any magic directly, just making potions that made the townspeople feel better, or transforming objects overnight, or predicting the future. In fact, if Link wasn't reasonably sure that he performed magic the previous night, he would have turned around at the revelation that they were traveling on gut-feeling, or, "reading the winds". Still, his mentor asked for his help, and Link thought about what he felt at the moment. He was hungry, slightly tired, and a little anxious as to where they were going. For some reason, he was thinking back to a few years prior, back in his carefree days, when he was schooling with his friends. He fixated on Kafei, who left the village to study at the university in the capital city, Drigoor. Kafei was Link's best friend, and the two boys were inseparable in their youths. Now, Link felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, and he felt his face heat up as he thought about his friend.

"Sarsa... I think there's something wrong in Drigoor." Link whispered tentatively.

"Hmm, interesting. How sure are you?" the old man asked Link, who thought further about his friend. Kafei was shorter than Link, more of a troublemaker and the more attractive of the two; he even dated Malon in their last year of school, who was Link's crush since childhood. In a way, Link still hadn't quite forgiven Kafei for that, but if his life was in danger, there was no reason for backing out. He concentrated on the surge in his stomach, and he was sure there was something wrong.

"I had a friend of mine, he's in university. I just, I don't know, it feels like something is wrong." Link rambled as the two continued on the dirt road. He dwelled in the agrestic beauty of the countryside, and he knew he couldn't go back home, not without finding out what was wrong.

"But lad, are you focusing on the person or the location? For all you know, he could no longer be in university," Sahasrahla warned Link, who looked dejectedly toward the ground. "As it so happens, I also knew someone who was going to Torrhes, and I felt the same as you did."

Link was, for a moment, at ease. With their destination assured, the two continued walking for another hour, discussing sports, gossiping about townspeople, and actively talking about Arcadian history.

"You know, the Hyrulian royal blood line runs through both Hyrule and Arcadia," Sahasrahla mentioned during a quiet part of their conversation. "After the monarchy was dismantled centuries ago, the royal family no longer had the stature they used to have, so they bred with the commonfolk. The blood line became so dilluted that it was difficult to track who was the rightful heir."

"But you know, don't you? If anyone knew who is the rightful heir, you would!" Link had always wanted to ask his mentor that question, and he could tell the old man was in the right mood. He knew that Sahasrahla was the village expert in Hyrule relations, and people throughout the country even came to him for his expertiece.

Sahasrahla chuckled and replied. "It was just that sort of speculation that led to the civil war - the countless deaths, the anarchy, the chaos."

Link wondered what the old man found humourous in such a bloody war, but then remembered something he was supposed to ask. "Do you remember earlier, that boy with the red hair who gave you trouble?"

"Why, yes. Bouer was his name, I believe."

"Oh, well, he just said he wanted to talk to you. It seemed pretty important."

"I see. Hmm, I shall talk to him."

The two walked in silence for a few minutes as the pathway reached the top of a hill. They stopped for a minute, looking at the valley below in which the capital Drigoor was held. For the center of government, the "city" was not very impressive. There were lines of huts strewed across a large field, endless rows of people stuck in their eternal abyss... or so Link thought. _Man, I know just how they feel_. He wondered why they were waiting so long, and as if on cue, Sahasrahla spoke up.

"I'm afraid we're at a dead end." He let out a cough before continuing. "You and I were drawn here, but we're in Drigoor now, and the trouble could be anywhere. Link, I am going to sit down for a minute and see if I can make any progress. Please be a kind lad and keep a lookout." Out of nowhere, Sahasrahla procured a bench which he promptly sat down upon. Link was amazed at such a feat of magic. Never before had his mentor performed such a task. _So magic is real..._

Link took a moment before speaking up. He never had such a private encounter with his mentor; it was always lessons and menial tasks before. He finally asked the old man another question he always wanted to ask. "Sarsa, am I the Hero of Time? Is this why I'm here?"

Without delay, Sahasrahla responded, "No, you are not. There are plenty of boys named Link across the land, but not everyone lives to possess the Triforce of Courage. Now please, keep an eye on our surroundings while I concentrate."

Link was slightly downtrodden at such a blunt answer. It almost made his whole trip seem pointless. But then he remembered his friend might be in trouble. As with before, he concentrated in the feeling deep in his stomach, but he was distracted. _I'm not the Hero of Time_... Link kept thinking about the ramifications, that he had spent years stuck in the little village of Torrhes. Looking down with his rage building, he noticed a small rock near his left boot. He picked it up and threw it off into the distance, almost wishing he hadn't come in this adventure. He tried thinking about Kafei, but only received a wide mixture of emotions. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine where the boy would be, and saw images of movement and agony. Before he could get lost in his thoughts, Sahasrahla spoke up.

"Link, we need to cross Drigoor to the train station. Something is going to happen there soon, unless we can stop it."

"OK, let's go, I'll help however I can." Link spoke with a voice of confidence he wasn't sure he had before.

* * *

Next chapter: Link sees how dangerous the world really is.


	5. Drigoor

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

Without wondering what was at the train station, Link walked quietly next to Sahasrahla, the veteran of 71 who was surprising him left and right. On one hand, Link knew for sure that magic existed now, something he had doubted for most of his life. On the other hand, he was told he was not the Hero of Time, something he had somewhat believed for most of his life. Such conflicting feelings could wait, as he knew he had a job to do. His friend Kafei and a friend of his mentor's were both in trouble. Link was somewhat annoyed at the prospect of saving his friend, the same person who dated the girl Link loved, Malon. He felt obliged to help the old man, regardless what dangers were in store.

The two walked down the hill as the brilliant sun set over the Tamaranch Mountains, and the slums of Drigoor below them began to light up their fires. Link was somewhat uneasy at the prospect of walking past thousands of poor, helpless people. As if reading his mind, Sahasrahla spoke up. "Don't mind the slumpeople. If you keep quiet, they'll leave you alone."

With that advice, the two made their way through the tents and huts, carefully avoiding eye contact with the derelicts. With as much focus as he could muster, Link stared at the back of the old man's shirt, wondering why they had to be so careful.

After several minutes, they walked past a large dwelling that smelled of rotting flesh. Link struggled to keep his forward gaze due to the odor, and let out a loud cough as he stopped moving forward.

He became distracted by a low-pitched mumble. He had never heard such a sound, and as much as he wanted to keep going, he couldn't imagine what a group of humans would be doing to make such noise.

Overcome by curiousity, he stopped next to a torch in front of the hut, and turned to his right.

""

Link froze.

He couldn't move after he heard the bloodthirsty scream. His heart pounded and his hands became sweaty, and out of the darkness came a figure... a collection of bones and flesh that hobbled into the darkness of the night.

He watched the figure come toward him - it had empty holes where the eyes should have been, and a gray material barely covered the bones across its body. All Link could think about was being eaten alive as he stared down the horrible creature. _Why can't I move away from this beast? Din, Nayru, Farore, please help us! Please! _

With all of the determination in his body, Link shouted "Sarsa help!"

Momentarily no longer petrified, Link closed his eyes and ducked. He felt a blast of heat soar above his back, and when he opened his eyes, the creature had cowered away.

"What was wrong with him?" Link asked automatically, not remembering he was supposed to stay silent.

"Link, that wasn't a man." Sahasrahla whispered, carefully maintaining his gaze away from Link. "It was a redead, a creature of the night that feeds on living flesh. I can't imagine what he is doing here..."

The old man turned to Link with a horrid look on his face. The low-pitched mumble noise returned, and increased around the two. The old man spoke up. "Something is wrong. Link, I want you to go, keep running in the direction of the cathedral. Take this torch, and hold it up to anything that moves." Sahasrahla handed Link the torch next to the hut.

"But, what about..." Link stammered.

"No, GO NOW!" The old man exclaimed. There were cries of agony surrounding them, and Link dutifully ran ahead of his mentor, slowly at first, and then picking up speed after he saw a flare go by his left side. He was sorry to leave Sahasrahla behind, but he knew the old man would catch up soon enough, and everything would be fine. Link would always be alright as long as his his old friend could help him.

Without a worry on his mind, Link dashed left and right with the torch in his hand, squeezing by each tent as the screams increased behind him. _Sarsa will be OK, he can handle himself_, Link kept thinking. Ignoring the mumbles surrounding him, Link ran down a clearing and could see the cathedral not far in the distance. He didn't notice a hole in the ground, causing him to fall.

Slightly panicking, Link stood up and tried to keep running, but the sharp pain in his left leg forced him to drop the torch and clutch his knee. He noticed a trickle of blood cascading down his leg, and without warning the torch died.

"Oh, no, no, no." He whispered, frightened. He could sense movement all around him, and Sahasrahla was nowhere to be seen. Link picked up the torch, hoping desperately it would re-ignite, but only a thin whisp of smoke arose from where the fire once was. With no other choice, Link ran down the corridor toward the cathedral, ignoring the screams in the distance and the pain in his leg.

There was a large corridor leading to the cathedral, and Link was excited he might make it to there unharmed. With an air of new confidence, Link let his mind wander. _I hope Sarsa is alright back there. Maybe I shouldn't have left him hobbling back there. Those monsters... redeads? They were rather menacing. I would hate it if the last thing I saw before I died was the pile of flesh and bones lurching toward me._

With that thought, Link stopped in his tracks as a large figure stood before him and let out a high-pitched scream. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

_No, I won't go down like this. I don't care what Sarsa says, I will be a hero one day! Farore, please help me! _

Link stood tall, feeling a strange, yet familiar feeling in his stomach. A surge of power rose through his body, and he stared down the creature. His arms stretched out without realizing it, and a burst of flames shot out of his arms toward the redead.

"Cool..."

After the creature retreated, Link ran the rest of the way to the cathedral.

The large building came more and more into view. At last, he reached the courtyard of the cathedral. He slowed, awestruck; he had never seen such a large structure in his life. The bricks seemed to rise higher than the mountains, and there were strange painted windows that lined the walls. Link slowly walked toward a large wooden door. He wondered whether he should wait for Sarsa or enter, but the decision was made for him after the door opened and someone walked out.

"You're human - quick, come in here!" A voice shouted from behind the door, pulling Link into the church. He must have had a confused look on his face, because no one in the hall was surprised to see him. A plump female with a purple robe greeted Link at the entranceway.

"Son, you're not from around here, are you? One shouldn't be out there at this time of night," remarked the lady.

"Sorry, I came from Torrhes looking for a friend. He's about my age and..." Link started.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm not sure where you're friend is." She interrupted politely, looking almost ashamed that she couldn't help. "This tragedy has caught us all offguard; we're all looking for our friends or loved ones. Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend." She waddled down the aisle toward the sanctuary, leaving Link alone.

He was bewildered to see so many people in the same place. There were groups scattered about the room. _Probably families_, thought Link. He wandered around the room, knowing it was too soon for Sarsa to arrive, so he looked for Kafei - the normal way, not the magic way. He wasn't too keen on forgiving Kafei, who had dated the only girl Link had liked. At the same time, he wanted to know he was alright.

Everyone was huddled, shaking furiously as if something terrible was happening... but something terrible was happening, Link realized. The lady was talking about this tragedy, and that must have been why the people were in the church. After making two trips around the cathedral and not finding his friend, he walked up to a young, dark-skinned but pretty woman, probably only a few years older than him, who was sitting alone.

"Excuse me, do you know what is happening around here?" He asked her.

"Dey says it be some sort of curse put on Drigoor. Someone brought someding to dis city to poison deh poor ones." She responded with a heavy accent.

"You mean, those redeads were people?"

"If yeh want to call em dat, people. But yees, dey were normal until deh sun went down."

Link stood uncomfortably as the woman stared around the room. He had no desire to stay in the room alone, and he reached out his hand to introduce himself to the woman. "I'm Link, by the way. Pleased to meet you."

"Nabooru, deh pleasure is mine." She giggled as she lifted Link's hand and kissed it. He froze as she held onto it, and remained standing as she continued talking. "Fahnallee someone is worried about what ees happening. Now seet down and keep me company!"

"Err... oh, someone else is at the door! It could be my friend. Sorry, gotta go. Nice meeting you Naboo, err, Nabooru, and thanks for the help!" Link exclaimed as he turned away from the woman.

Sure enough, he saw Sahasrahla hobbling through the cathedral door in the back. He ran up to the old man, and was relieved that he looked the same as always - the blue cane in his hand, a dirty beige shirt, and the short tufts of white hair coming out of different places throughout his head. Link felt calmer than he had in days at the sight of the old man.

"Ah, Link, I am glad to see you made it here." He said calmly and with a great sense of relief, walking past Link toward the front of the cathedral.

"Umm, sir, don't you need to sit down?" Link started, hoping to sit and talk with the old man for a minute. "We've been walking all day, don't you need to rest? What about the train station, what's happening there?"

"Link, we're _here_ for a purpose, there is no time for rest, and we will go to the station later" Sahasrahla remained walking.

"Sarsa, when you were talking earlier, about the slumpeople, you didn't know they had transformed, did you?" Link asked.

The old man hesitated for a second before stopping and responding. "There are many different people in this land, and some of them you learn to avoid. There is little difference between a redead and a slumperson. A redead will kill you once they smell or hear you - a slumperson will only kill you if you have wealth. Is your curiousity quenched yet? We have a job to do."

Link was sorry for bringing it up. The two continued up toward the sanctuary, stopping after a sidedoor opened. The woman in the purple robe exited, and walked over to the two.

"Sahasrahla, thank Din you came! We're trying to deal with this crisis. You two, please come with me." She remarked. Link let out a loud groan, which the two adults ignored for the moment. He just wanted to relax for the moment.

The woman turned around, and Link started following her. Sahasrahla held him back, bent over, and whispered in his ear.

"Show some respect, that is Arcadia's queen."

Link was bewildered. He had heard of his country's leader, but her image had always been a source of secrecy, due to Arcadia's fragile existence next to the ever-threatening Republic of Hyrule. Slowly he followed the queen and Sahasrahla, entering a small room to the side of the sanctuary.

There were six others - two men and four women - all sitting around a table. They all promptly stood up once they entered, and the queen spoke up.

"Council, please welcome Master Sahasrahla and his protégé... I am sorry young lad, what is your name?" The queen asked.

"Err, my name is Link." He replied, hoping desperately the group wouldn't make a fuss over his name. Unfortunately, there was a silence in the room until one of the men spoke up.

"Well, Hero, great timing, we need your help!"

* * *

Link is getting the adventure he was dreaming of, but is it too much in too short amount of time? Will Link find Kafei? What caused the slumpeople to transform? And will Link ever have a normal day in Torrhes ever again, or is his childhood gone forever?


	6. Meetings and Mysteries

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

Link stood awkwardly in the room after announcing his name and being called "Hero".

"This changes everything!" squeaked a tall woman to Link's right.

"The goddesses are on our side!" remarked a short, plump man in the corner.

"Have him go fight that Ganon and finish this!" spoke a bearded man with a blue cape.

The group spoke excitedly with that new revelation. Link waited next to Sahasrahla, whom the group apparently already knew, and Queen Ambi, who Link had heard of time and time again but had never seen her face. Now that he saw the ruling monarch of Arcadia in person, she suddenly seemed so much more human. He could tell she was nervous about something.

After a moment of the chatter, all nine of them sat around the table in silence. Link hoped the meeting wouldn't take too long. His stomach started rumbling as the rest of the eight talked about their situation. He would have rather been back in Torrhes, enjoying a warm meal with Aryll before heading off to his house and going to bed. _Then again, Sarsa did really want me here._ The queen finally broke the silence.

"I am afraid. We are all afraid. Our young kingdom is barely 50 years old, yet we still face a constant threat from abroad. We are lucky to be joined tonight by the great Sahasrahla. Master, how did you know to come here?" Queen Ambi asked.

"My young friend and I sensed a danger in Drigoor." The old man simply stated. Link sat quietly, somewhat annoyed that he didn't know anyone in the room, before he realized Sahasrahla left out a detail.

"We thought something was wrong at the train station." Link spoke up. With those words, the room became quite active.

"Impossible! The Royal Station opened a month ago. It eez in perfect condition." defended a pale woman with a noticable accent.

"Easy for you to say Commissioner. We all know how proud you are of that rail line." argued another woman to Link's left.

"Eend what eez that supposed to mean?"

"Why would anyone want a train line from Drigoor to Hyrule Castle Town? Only a traitor to our nation would want such a monstrosity."

"Traitor? I have never been so insulted. There eez one traitor in the room, and I am looking at heem." the commissioner declared, looking directly at Sahasrahla.

The short man to her side nodded his head and spoke up. "Yea, notice how much time he spends with that senator." Link looked at the old man, and was surprised that he had no emotion on his face.

Another woman spoke up. "It's called diplomacy. That senator isn't nearly as bad as the new prime minister. That guy gives me the creeps!"

The group continued their rowdy discussion for a few more minutes. Link looked over at the queen, who looked like she was about to start crying. He felt horrible for diverting the attention of the meeting, and with that, he summoned the courage to speak up to the group.

"WAIT A SECOND!" he screamed, and the group quieted. "I thought we were here to talk about those monsters, how the slumpeople turned into redeads."

"He is right." the queen agreed. "Well, I mean, how could our beloved citizens turn into monsters like that? I've never heard of anything like that!"

"Your majesty, I believe only some form of strange magic could have caused such an event." mentioned Sahasrahla, the first time he spoke since they all sat down. The rest of the group glowered at the old man.

"So speaks the magic expert. How do we know they weren't kidnapped?" asked one of the women.

"Taking thousands of people without us noticing, and replacing them with monsters without us knowing? They may be slumpeople that none of us care about, but we at least notice them, unlike the fantastic magical works that Sahasrahla speaks of." retorted the short man. Link was surprised how poorly the adults treated the slumpeople, and it was almost as badly as they treated magic. The conversation continued, devolving into the improbability of each scenario, and Link noticed that Sarsa did not partake in the conversations, not defending himself or even the existence of magic. Still, he was excited being involved in something so substantial. He had trouble keeping his eyes open, though, with the excitement throughout the day - the long trip to Drigoor, fighting the redeads, even earlier in the day with saving the red-haired boy. Before he knew it, he fell into a deep sleep, for the second time that day.

_A tall man looked out of a window at the end of the hallway. With a set of deep black armor covering his body and a sword strewn across his back, he stood proudly for the moment. Looking into the reflection of the window, he reveled how his dark red hair contrasted from his young face. Once a plain boy, he used magic to become beautiful and win the hearts of everyone. But in recent days, his looks had faded as he used his magic powers more and more. He noticed a green tinge in his complexion, and was worried about who, or what, he was becoming. He was nervous today. It was his divine duty to reunite Hyrule, be it peacefully or by force. His two greatest obstacles were the two bodies with the other pieces of the Triforce. Senator Zelda Orion was his formal opposition in the Senate, and he knew that she had her own plan for Hyrule's future. There was also the boy, nowhere to be seen, that caused him more fear. But history goes in cycles, and there must be a third Triforce holder who would try and stop him. Surely his soldier would find the third one. _Everything rested on the Arcadian plan, _he thought. _

_He heard footsteps coming toward him, and his heart pounded with suspense before his attendant spoke._

_"My lord, I come with news. The plan worked. The train carried the orb successfully. Once it reached the border, everyone turned into subservient beings."_

_"Very good. And the, hehe, princess?" _

_"She was spotted crossing the border near Torrhes a few hours ago."_

_The man smiled at his victory. He would be able to succeed where his father failed. _Before long, Arcadia will no longer exist_, he thought. His mirth overtook him._

_"HEH HEH HEH... HEH HEH HEH... HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH..."_

Link suddenly woke up amidst a commotion of noises, remembering his dream vividly.

"Ganon is behind this!" he shouted, causing the room to silence. "There is an orb on the train, that's what Sahasrahla and I felt earlier. That orb is going to cause all of us to become his slaves once the train reaches the Hyrulian border." He was expecting some retort about the ridiculousness of the scenario, but everyone seemed to agree.

"You said there was an orb?" asked Queen Ambi. For once she didn't seem so nervous. "Dalia, could that be the Moon Orb from the university?" She looked over toward the tall woman on Link's right.

"Oh goodness..." Dalia started before putting her hands up to her face. "There was a break-in last month in the archaeology department. The orb had been there for such a little amount of time that nobody noticed it had ever been there."

"Link, what did you say about the train?" questioned the queen. Link tried to recall his dream.

"Ganon was talking about how once the train exited Arcadia, all of us would turn into his slaves because of that orb."

"And you are sure it was the work of Ganon?" asked the queen nervously. Link wasn't quite as sure, but he remembered his dream from earlier in the day, how someone mentioned Ganon.

"I'm positive. Now, we have to do something for our country!" Link exclaimed courageously. He had all of the energy in the world at that moment, ready to save the day, without worrying how he would do so. The rest of the group stood up and cheered for their newfound unity.

After a brief victory, the one man in the corner put his ear to the window, and turned to the rest of the group with a sullen face. "The train whistle just blew; it's leaving the station now."

Link spoke up. "No! There's got to be some way to get on the train and destroy that orb!"

The group muttered excitedly, not noticing the queen turned around and walked toward a case on the side of the room.

"My horse is outside!" exclaimed one of the women. "Epona is the fastest horse on my ranch, and you'll be sure to catch up with the train."

"Save us Link!" shouted one. "Protect us, Hero!" remarked another.

Link was nervous for a minute as the entire fate of his country rested in his hands. He was ready, though, to face whatever challenges awaited him that night.

"I'll show you my horse. Come on, let's hurry!" declared the woman who owned the ranch. Link and Sahasrahla walked behind her as they headed toward the door, when the queen stood in the way.

"Thank you Hero, you'll be needing this. This is the Ruto Sword, an Arcadian relic used by the last Hero to stop evil the last time." Queen Ambi handed Link the weapon in its sheath, which he strung it over his white shirt.

"I shall do my best, my queen." Link spoke, kneeling as he talked to the monarch. He hurried out the door into the cathedral, and noticed a familiar face next to the door.

"Good luck to deh Hero!" spoke Nabooru, the girl Link met earlier. He smiled, pleased by her curiousity to know what was going on.

As they walked down the aisle, Sahasrahla whispered into Link's ear, "You've befriended a Gerudo? I would be careful if I were you."

Link turned around at Nabooru, not realizing she wasn't Hylian.

The ranch lady opened the doors to the outside and led Link to the horse, Epona. He jumped up onto the saddle, and Sahasrahla spoke up. "You will do fine. You have the goddesses on your side."

Looking down from the horse, Link was going to ask if that meant he was the legendary Hero, but it didn't matter at the moment. He had a country to save.

* * *

Link is again living up to the title of Hero of Time, even if he isn't sure the title is his. Soon, he will face his first real challenge, but will his doubts present a problem?


	7. Trains and Tribulations

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

The horse galloped away from the Cathedral, the dirt road lit only by the moon. Trees on each side blocked any other pathway, and the faint sound of the train rapidly click-clacking meant they were getting close. This left Link's mind in a blaze.

He still had no idea where his friend Kafei was, nor where Sahasrahla's friend was.

…the woman… the senator…

Link's heart skipped a beat when he realized his mentor's friend was the Hyrulian senator, the one they called Princess Zelda, the one who would be killed for her betrayal.

He didn't know how everything fit into place, and he couldn't believe how quick everyone was to believe a dream he had. Maybe it was something Sahasrahla said when he was sleeping, he thought.

While he was momentarily distracted, Epona galloped faster, which forced Link to hold on tighter to the horse. He was surprised how well the horse ran on its own. He had only been on a horse once before, when he was in school with his friend Malon. He felt a shortness in breath when he thought of her. No, she's gone, she left Arcadia, he thought.

After a few minutes, the back and right side of the train came into view, all four cars easily visible. It was accelerating, but Epona was fast enough to close the distance between them and the train.

Closer... closer... closer...

Link was within an arms-length away from the caboose when the train let out a loud whistle and the train lurched forward. The back of the train began pulling away, when Link had an idea. He crunched up and put his legs on Epona's saddle. Carefully he put his hands down and pushed himself up. He knew if he missed, Arcadia would be no more, not to mention he would be seriously injured, but he had no other choice.

Link dug his boots into Epona and kicked off as hard as he could toward the train, his arms stretched out as far as they could go. He saw himself in slow-motion leap from the horse in midair toward the train. His left arm was out furthest, and it clenched onto the back of the caboose. His left foot made contact with the flooring next. With all of the strength in his body, he pulled himself over the small ledge onto the back platform.

Once he was safely on the train, Link watched Epona run away into the night. He did a quick checklist, feeling his backside to make sure his sword was still there. He realized he had nothing else on him, nothing else to him for finding the orb before the train reached Hyrule. He had never been on a train once before, and couldn't imagine where to find such an object. Without warning, he froze and a voice filled his head.

Link, it is I, Sahasrahla. I am communicating with you through telepathy. I apologize I was quiet during the meeting, but I was reading the winds to help you. The Moon Orb is located in the front car. You must hurry to get there before the train crosses into Hyrule. The men in this car are brainwashed by Ganon, and you must do what you can to get to the front of the train. I gave my everything for this country when I was younger, and you cannot fail. Please make this old man's wish come true, I beg of you!

With that, Link entered the caboose, slightly more confident now. He ran through the car, which was entirely empty, at least as far as he could see in the dark. Link thought it was suspicious, but continued onward.

It was lined with seats on either side, and there was one person sitting in the middle of the car. Link pulled out his sword and walked cautiously down the aisle. The man sitting down appeared to be sleeping, with his head tilted backward. Link slid past him, and dropped his sword in shock. The man had a large slash across his chest, and wasn't breathing.

"Farore... no!" Link swore. He had never seen a dead person, and he couldn't remember either of his parents' deaths. A tingle went up his back, when he thought about his situation. Why would one of Ganon's soldiers be dead right now? he thought.

Link picked up his sword continued even more cautiously toward the next car. There was a gap between cars, which forced him to step down on the latch. There was a loud CLURK sound, causing Link to jump up onto the car as he watched the last two cars of the train broke away from the rest. Unable to go back, he turned around, and jumped again at the sight of the next car. There were piles of bodies scattered throughout the open car, more bodies than Link wanted to count. He walked slowly past the corpses, wondering what could have happened.

He noticed one soldier was still breathing near the door to the next car, albeit slowly and with difficulty. Link ran over, unsure what he should do.

The dying soldier spoke up. "Ganon... please... let me... die..."

"Not unless you tell me what happened." Link retorted.

"You are too late for her..." he replied.

"What happened? Where is the Moon Orb? Please sir!" Link begged, but it was in vain; the soldier collapsed and stopped breathing. He looked frantically around the room for any other survivors, but didn't see any. All of their swords and shields laid by their sides, and one clutched onto a bow. He put his sword into its sheath and grabbed a shield and the bow, preparing for whatever lie in the front car of the train.

He glanced out the window, and recognized the scenery immediately - the train was going by Torrhes, which meant they were closely approaching the Hyrule border. Link ran into the head car of the train, and froze. Three soldiers stood in a triangle in the car.

The one on his left held the Hyrulian senator, Zelda, who was tied and kicking furiously. Link finally saw the woman he was dreaming about, and she was much younger than he had imagined. Her auburn hair flowed down to either side of her head, and her light blue eyes expressed a plea of help.

The one on the right was holding both Kafei and Malon, tied together. Link felt horrible to see his two friends here, but was panged that the two were together, even now. He still had strong feelings for both of them- Kafei, his blue-haired best friend and Malon, the girl he once loved but he could never admit.

Lastly, the soldier in the front of the room held Aryll with a sword to her neck. Link was shocked to see her now, but it made sense. She must have been the one who dispatched the soldiers, and Sahasrahla must have asked for help. He was surprised about the passing resemblance between her and Zelda, with the exception that Aryll had blonder hair and was older.

Link held steady. He wasn't fast enough to save all of them without any of them getting hurt. He took a deep breath, and without thinking about it, pulled out his bow and shot the soldier in the head who was holding Aryll.

Once Aryll was free, she picked up the sword the soldier was holding, and made her way to Zelda. She shouted, "Link, GO!"

Link ran to the front of the room and heard swords clanging as well as grunts and screams. He could see in the window that they were about to approach the bridge across the Great Zora River, which divided Hyrule from Arcadia. He saw levers and gadgets across the panel, but no sign of anything resembling an orb. Without any other option, he pulled out his sword and plunged it into the panel. He pulled it back, revealing a glowing white rock.

The train rocked as it moved onto the bridge. He pulled out the rock and winced as his hands burned. Ignoring the pain and the smell of his flesh melting, he picked up the sword, and with all of his strength stabbed it into the Moon Orb. Suddenly, the train came to a screeching halt, pushing Link forward onto the ground of the train. He looked out the window, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw they were still on the bridge.

He turned around and saw two bodies on the ground, as well as Aryll and Zelda.

...but no Kafei or Malon, he thought.

"Where did they go?" Link panicked. Perhaps it was the pain in his hands or his sheer exhaustion, but he was livid.

"Link... I wasn't fast enough." Aryll started. She didn't have a hint of remorse on her face, but instead stood strong as she usually does.

"But where are they?" he asked again.

Aryll hesitated, and Zelda spoke up instead. "Ganon's soldiers took them. I am sorry your friends were taken Link, but I thank you for saving me. We will rescue them, I promise." She bent down and kissed Link on the cheek. This calmed him slightly.

He picked up the sword and put it back in its sheath, ignoring the pain once again, and he walked toward the two women. He glanced down at the soldier he shot with the bow, and he was no longer breathing. Link felt his heart cringe when he realized he killed a man. A single tear rolled down his face and hit the floor.

"Let's go, let's get out of here." Link said with his voice cracking. The two women followed, and after they jumped down from the third car, they all walked back to Torrhes in the middle of the night.

* * *

After a set of trials in an impossibly exhausting 24 hours, Link is uncertain how to proceed as the Hero of Time, if that even is his title.


	8. Din

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.  
Editor's note: Pardon the short chapter, I just had to figure out where the story was going. Hope you are enjoying the ride as much as I am!

* * *

The three walked in silence back to Torhes, which was all Link wanted with the throbbing physical and mental pain he was in. Aside from his hands, which he burned while destroying an orb that could have destroyed his country, Link had just killed a man - a man he didn't know, a man who could've had a wife and kids, a man who was simply acting on orders.

Worse, his presence put his friends' lives in danger. He was ready to put the past behind him as soon as he got the chance. He wouldn't care that Kafei and Malon were together if they weren't tied up and held hostage because of him. Although he had not seen them for two years, he regularly thought of the good times he had back in school. Torrhes was a small village, so it only had one school for everyone. By the time Link and his friends were 15, they spent most of their time in class goofing off. They all left the school and went their separate ways when they were 17.

His mind was racing as they walked silently. How could the Hero of Time also be a murderer? The goddesses would never allow it. _That means I am not the Hero_, Link thought. _Just as well, I don't want to deal with all of this. Once I rescue my friends I'm done_.

Before he knew it, they all made it to the village. Zelda left for Sahasrahla's house, Aryll for hers, and Link wandered to his house. He entered the door, stumbled toward his bed, and fell asleep before he hit his pillow.

_Link was in a familiar looking corridor. It led to a large window overlooking the outside of Hyrule Castle, with large doors on either side. The one on the left led to the sanctuary, and looked like it had barely been used in centuries. The one on the right led to the office of Prime Minister Eli Ganon, based on the name tag on the door. Inside, a tall red-headed person was pacing back and forth around his desk._

_"30 minutes late..." he spoke to himself. "Incompetent as usual..."_

_"Oh, what I could do to Hyrule with the power in my hands. Three months as Prime Minister? HAH! They didn't know what they had in store." he continued as Link watched silently. _

_"Not even my father could have imagined I would have accomplished this by the age of 23. And with what beauty."_

_The Prime Minister pushed his hands through his red hair and across his face, pausing around his cheekbones. Link noticed a patch of green on his skin, which made Ganon seem sickly. There was a sudden knock on the door, prompting the Prime Minister to casually walk toward his large throne-like chair. Although his was breathing heavily, he responded with a calm "Come in."_

_An attendant walked into his office with his head down. "My lord..." he started. _

_"Spare me your bad news."Ganon replied._

_The Prime Minister stood up and held his attendant in place by magic. He asked, "Why did the Arcadia plan fail?"_

_The attendant coughed and whispered, "the Hero came and destroyed the Orb... but I have good news!"_

_Ganon let go of his grip on his attendnant. "Well, say it!" he barked._

_"I was the one who captured the Hero's friends. Perhaps we could use them to lure the Hero into a trap." the attendant replied, holding onto his neck._

_"Very good... very good! I had assumed all of Hyrule's soldiers were bumbling idiots. Perhaps they just need better training. Considered yourself promoted, Corporal Sakon."_

_"I thank you my lord. I will personally train the soldier, and make sure they are all capable of taking out the Hero, _Link_." Sakon responded._

At the mention of his name, Link's heart skipped a beat and he woke up, leaping forward in his bed. It was still dark outside.

Link looked around his room, and saw a shadowy figure near the doorway of his room. He quickly unsheathed the Ruto Sword, which had been on his back. "Who is there?" he demanded, holding the sword out into the darkness.

The figure walked forward, and Link first noticed the long red hair.

"Malon, how did you escape?" Link shouted with his heart pounding. He put his sword down and rushed up to the figure... but it wasn't Malon.

"No... I am sorry Link." she responded.

"Who in Nayru are you?" Link swore, annoyed that a stranger was in his house. He ran over to the sword, but stopped when she responded.

"Actually, I'm Din." Link didn't know how to respond at the thought of one of the goddesses being in his room. She had the appearance of a teenage girl, but her skin was perfect looking, almost divine. There was not a scratch, blemish, freckle, or sign of wear. It was as if she was born yesterday. And there was Link - exhausted, dirty from the night's work, and still laconic after killing that soldier.

"...are you gonna answer, or are you going to stand there like a petrified Goron?" she asked, letting out a giggle.

"How... what..." Link rambled.

"You're rather cute for being a Hero." she started, causing Link to blush slightly. "Nice height, well-built shoulders, pointy ears, beautiful blue eyes, short brown hair, and earrings! My, my, the girls are going to _loooove_ you." she finished with a smile and a wink.

Link sat down at the foot of his bed uncomfortably. "How do I know you are a goddess?" he asked tentatively, not really caring for the answer since he already believed who she was. He was avoiding the question he truly wanted to ask.

The girl, apparently the goddess Din, stood there for a second with a confused look on her face. "How can I... OH!" she shouted, startling Link.

Suddenly, she lifted her hand and produced a flame. The waved her hands together, causing the fire to twist and twirl around her body.

"Ta-dah!" she remarked, bringing the fire to an end. Link stared, dumbfounded, just wanting to go back so sleep.

"Well, Nayru is usually much better at this, but she's too busy, so sweet Din has to perk up Link." she complained.

"Wait, _am I_ the Hero of Time!" Link asked, finally accepting that a goddess was in his room and that he could ask her anything.

"Of course you are!" Din replied.

"...do I have a choice?" Link responded. After the previous day, he was not sure he could handle being a legendary Hero. Din finally calmed down and looked serious.

"No, you were chosen before you were born. I'm sorry, but it is written in the scrolls of time. You are needed to bring peace to Hyrule, no, to the world!"

As she finished, Din was almost singing, but Link was not in the mood.

"I could do this, though." He picked up the Ruto Sword with two hands and plunged it toward his heart...

...only the sword curled inward on itself and twisted and turned until it was only a mangled mess. Din had her hands out, evidently controlling the weapon.

"I wouldn't try that again if I were you." she warned Link, who stared down at what once was an Arcadian relic.

"We're only here to help you... which reminds me. There was something I was supposed to tell you. Nayru should've met you first, but _no_, she wanted to give you the dream foresight."

"Wait!" Link exclaimed. "You mean my dreams were..."

"...showing the future, yes. And I think you've learned already that you do have the power to change it."

She was referring to Link's first dream about the Hyrulian Prime Minister using the train to conquer Arcadia, and the second dream which showed his failure.

"Oh, duh, now I remember what I was supposed to tell you!" Din laughed. "You are recognized by the goddesses of possessing of the Triforce of Courage. It is your duty to use it to the best of your ability to usher in a new era of peace to the world. You will meet friends and enemies. You will have to do tasks that you do not wish to do, and yes, that does include killing people if it comes to that."

Link's throat hurt when he swallowed after the last piece of information.

"...but that is because you are not invulnerable, and people will try to kill you. However, your piece of the Triforce will make you stronger over time." she continued, walking over to Link. She put her hand on his shoulder, causing a strange warmth to spread throughout his body. Just as quickly as it started, it stopped.

Din spoke, "Your magic is now stronger. I give you my fire to aid your journey. There will be many perils ahead, but none that are too great for the Hero of Time. Gain allies, and trust in people! You have many people who can help you at any time. Now... it is time for me to go. You will learn more from us in the future. Goodbye, Link." She walked away from him with her head down, looking as if she had said too much. She put her hands together, turned into a burst of flames, and disappeared.

Link stood near the edge of his bed, not moving for a long time. He did not want to process any of the information, and he tried convincing himself he was still asleep. Eventually he laid back down on his bed, deliberately staying awake until the sun rose, for fear of what his dreams would tell him.


	9. Storms and Stalfos

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

Once it was morning, Link put on his favorite white shirt and left his hut, looking forward to a new day. His mind was still reeling, more from what the goddess Din said than everything he did in the preceding 24 hours.

_Maybe she wasn't really a goddess. _

_Maybe someone sent her to scare Link._

_Or maybe all of it was true._

Link walked through Torrhes without thinking where he was going, vaguely heading in the direction of Aryll's. The town was so much different than two nights prior, when he was running around desperately to put out the fire. He looked to his right, remembering the two figures running away from the village. _No, they were walking, and one was hobbling_... Link thought, his heart beating faster. _Was it Sahasrahla and Zelda? What were they doing? Did they cause the fire to test me? Or were they actually Hyrulian spies? _

He was disgusted at the thought, and closed his eyes. Link walked straight into the red-haired boy he saved the previous day.

"Hey, watch where you're walking! What my father would do..." the red-haired boy threatened.

"Sorry... err, what was your name again?" Link asked. He didn't really care for the answer.

"It's _BOY-ERR_, B-O-U-E-R, Bouer." the red-haired boy responded three times.

"Listen, I think we got off to a bad start. There aren't many teenagers in town, and I want to make it up to you. Let's meet up later and hang out." Link remarked.

"Thanks Hink, er, Link, that'd be great!" he replied. Link wasn't sure why, but he had a bad feeling meeting up with the boy. Still, perhaps it was Din's advice, his losing Malon and Kafei the previous night, or the lack of socializing with anyone his age that made him in a more trusting mood than usual.

"Where are you staying now?" Link asked curiously. He hadn't seen the boy ever before yesterday, meaning he must know someone in the village.

"Alright, I'll see you later then." Bouer responded, walking quickly away from Link without answering.

Scratching his head in confusion, Link drifted toward Aryll's, trying to stay calm and collected. He tried to avoid thinking about how she got on the train and made his work easier, but doing so made him wonder how Aryll could handle knowing she killed someone, even multiple people. He had heard stories from the villagers of Torrhes that Aryll always wanted to be in the Arcadian army, the first woman who would be in that position. Link only saw the side of her involving metal forging or sword fighting, but never thought such power rested inside of her.

Before he knew it, Link reached Aryll's hut. He entered without knocking and walked directly to the back room, bypassing the tempting cushions on the side. He heard the familiar _cling-clang_, and waited impatiently until she stopped for him to speak up. He wanted to ask about Sahasrahla's loyalty, but as Aryll was his daughter, Link couldn't very well ask her.

"Aryll, do you need me to do anything?" he asked frantically, wanting any task to clear his mind. He had too much input in too little time. "I want to help you in any way possible."

Aryll turned around with an empathetic look on her face. "You need a distraction?" she asked tenderly, before her eyes became stern and fiery.

"You're late! You said yesterday you would take the sword to Mr. Boratti, first thing this morning. He needs it to go hunting, and I swear to Din that if he's angry and doesn't pay, you'll pay!" She pushed the wrapped sword into Link's hands and ushered him out the door. Link smiled, since it was just the task he needed to distract himself.

He looked up at the sky, now wondering if Malon and Kafei were safe. _No... they're fine... Aryll said we would rescue them in time_, he thought. _Unless, Aryll is working with Sarsa and Zelda against Arcadia..._

Link knew his mind would only wander during the walk to Mr. Boratti's cabin. He sought further distraction, looking for anyone to walk and talk with him.

There was Heraeth, the priestess. _She's too busy prepping for the festival_, he mused. In celebration of Arcadia's semicentennial, there were to be festivals held across the country in each town.

There was Link's neighbor Taron, who owned the nearby farm. _No, he always needs too many favors, and I would never make it to the cabin._

He continued through Torrhes, hoping desperately to find someone to walk with him. At last, he saw the red-haired kid, Bouer, walking toward him.

"Hey man, what are you doing now?" Link asked him casually.

"Killing time... nothing like killing time." Bouer responded cheerfully.

"Great!" Link responded, his mood brightening. Getting to know someone else would be a great way to distract his burdened mind. "Would you mind walking with me to Mr. Boratti's cabin? I could use some company. His place is..."

"...right on the edge of the woods, right?" Bouer interrupted.

"Yea... let's go. I have to deliver this sword."

"I love swords. Can I see?"

"No... you're too young."

"My mom lets me play with weapons whenever I want. Doesn't yours?"

Link pondered for a moment, noticing they were more than halfway to the cabin. He didn't want to tell the kid that he didn't know either of his parents. He only vaguely remembered his father, how he was a warrior. Perhaps that was more due to stories from Sahasrahla... provided he was even telling the truth.

Wanting to change the subject, Link asked, "so where are you from? I have only seen you around town since yesterday."

"Ger... err, Kakariko Village. So why is your name Link?" Bouer questioned.

"I'm not sure... so are you in Torrhes for long?" Link was trying to avoid answering too much about himself. They were nearing the cabin, and Link was beginning to feel a chill in the air.

"My graduation gift from school was a trip, an adventure." Bouer remarked. The clouds were moving quickly overhead as the wind picked up.

"I visited the Lost Woods,"

A crack of lightning struck in the midst of the woods.

"...Death Mountain,"

Tiny ice pellets fell down from the sky, picking up in intensity.

"...and Zora Domain."

The clouds were swirling in the dark sky.

"...but I've finally found what I was looking for here in Arcadia." Bouer finished.

"I hate to break it to you, but this is a severe storm. We have to run!" Link yelled, pulling the red-haired boy until they reached the front door of the small cabin.

"Mr. Boratti, I have your sword!" Link shouted, hoping the man inside would hear over the winds. Bouer let out a yawn while Link pounded on the wooden door. Not wanting to be out in the elements, he rushed inside, finding the man sitting on a chair with his head tilted to the side and his eyes open.

"Mister! Please!" Link rushed over and saw a purple liquid on the side of his mouth. Fearing the worst, he picked up the body and shook it, but there were no signs of breathing, and it was cold to the touch.

"Bouer, help me! He won't be safe here in this storm, he needs medicine!" Link looked over at his companion, who stood staring at him with deep, red eyes.

"He's dead." Bouer responded. Link was in shock, but knew it to be the truth. _If only he had been there earlier_... he thought.

The winds and the ice pellets increased even more. Suddenly, a loud _CRASH_ occurred, and Link saw that the window was broken.

"We have to leave, we're in danger here!" Link shouted to the boy over the sound of the wind. He pulled the body of Mr. Boratti from his chair to the outside.

"Come on, we have to go!" he declared again to Bouer.

Seconds after they were outside, a bolt of lightning struck the cabin, destroying it immediately and skewering debris across the ground. Link looked where the cabin once was, and in the midst of the wind and ice pellets saw two figures approaching him from the forest.

Instinctively, he pulled out the sword that was meant for the dead body, and picked up a piece of wood from the cabin as a shield.

As the two figures came into view, Link's heart skipped a beat.

They were two skeletons each bearing a sword and shield of their own and running directly toward Link.

"Stalfos..." Bouer uttered. Link pushed the boy down next to the dead body, and prepared for a strike.

The first one ran ahead and jumped with his sword in the air. Instead of countering the strike with his sword, Link raised his makeshift shield. He was pushed back onto the sloppy ground. The stalfos landed on top of him, and Link saw the sword penetrate the piece of wood, just barely removed from his face.

"LEAVE US ALONE!" Link shouted, feeling a rage building inside of him.

He tucked and rolled off to the side of the skeleton, kicking its ribcage area and leaving the piece of wood behind. Several bones fell down from the skeleton, and when the figure stood back up, it leaned to its one side.

Link momentarily breathed a sigh of relief, before Bouer yelled, "behind you!"

Ducking and rolling again, Link caused the second stalfos to trip and fall to the ground.

Link glared at the two enemies with a burning fury. He stretched out his hands and shot fire at the two skeletons. Immediately, they both dropped to the ground and became a disheveled pile of bones.

He breathed heavily, letting the wind blow back his hair and the ice pellets trickle down the back of his favorite white shirt, now covered with mud and dirt.

When there was no more sign of danger, Link put the sword back in its sheath, strung it across its back, and declared to Bouer, "Let's go."

He ignored the boy, who was just smiling and had his eyes wide open in disbelief. Instead, he pulled the dead body back in the direction of Torrhes. The skies quickly cleared and the rain stopped. With all of the strength he could muster, Link continue forward, step by step, into town.


	10. Ingo and Aryll

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

For once, Link's mind was blank.

His body was aching, and he probably had cuts and bruises from his fight with the stalfos. However, he was not thinking about anything as he dragged the dead body of Mr. Boratti. He didn't know anything about the corpse - his real name, his occupation, his family - and at the moment he didn't care.

For he was mentally drained, and he wasn't thinking anything at all.

His companion Bouer followed cautiously behind, eying the dead body with curiosity and watching Link in awe. After a few minutes, when they were nearly at the edge of the village, the red-haired boy spoke up.

"That was some pretty cool magic back there. Thanks for saving me... again."

Link ignored him and continued toward the village.

It was approaching midday, when most people were walking about, running their errands and enjoying each other's company. It was a normal day, without a cloud in the sky, despite the sudden storm near the cabin. In a few months, it would turn much colder across the region, with snow stretching as far as the eye could see, but the day was dry and warm, which was all Link could ask for.

A trickle of sweat beaded down Link's hair onto his already wet back, from the earlier skirmish. He breathed heavily, and he finally crossed the threshold into Torrhes. Quickly, a few people gathered around Link and the body, forcing him to stop.

"He's dead, poison," he croaked, trying to hold back his voice cracking. He had difficulty looking at the townspeople, for their shocked faces meant they would only judge him for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

They stayed silent, until one lady spoke up, confirming Link's fears. "How do we know you didn't kill him? Hmm?"

"If I killed him, why would I bring him into town? Maybe he killed himself..." he responded, still clutching onto the body and unable to think of a better response. More people gathered around, and a low murmur developed. Link looked around, searching for Bouer to substantiate his story, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"That red-haired boy, Bouer, he was with me! He can tell you." Link defended, trying to convince the glares that faced him.

"He was dead by the time I got there, I swear!" he tried again.

Unexpectedly, Aryll stepped forward from the crowd. Link wasn't sure how to react, still thinking her father Sahasrahla was somehow behind the magic fire, and wondering if she was involved as well. _If she was plotting against Arcadia, why would she help me now? She was on the train too, with Zelda, _he mused, unsure how everything added up. He shook his head and tried to keep his mind blank, at least until he saw Aryll's face of horror as she bent over the dead body, which confused Link greatly.

"Ingo! No, it can't be!" she screamed, clutching her hands to her face over the sight of Mr. Boratti. Link had never seen her so distraught before. She was always the calm one, or the angry one, but never as disturbed as this.

"How did this happen?" Aryll continued, with tears starting to develop in her eyes. Link knew that she must have known Mr. Boratti somehow, since she made him a sword, but he couldn't fathom anything beyond that. Still, he realized he had to provide some sort of explanation.

"My friend and I walked up to his cabin to drop off his sword." Link started, still looking around for Bouer.

"...only he was sitting back in his chair when he got there, with that purple stuff on his face." He left out the details about his fight, since that made his story sound only more far-fetched. Members of the crowd were still whispering and pointing at Link, accusing him of poisoning the man.

"He couldn't have...he was with me... before he went to the cabin..." Aryll replied, sobbing in between phrases.

The elderly village priestess, Heraeth, stepped forward and knelt next to Aryll. "Calm, my child. He is with the goddesses. Now, his corpse is unfit to be here - it must be blessed in the chapel before it is buried."

That calmed down Aryll somewhat, and Link was relieved. He didn't have anyone to defend him again, but if the villagers had no further action, at least he wouldn't have to worry anymore for his own safety. In previous years, whenever someone was accused of murder, that person usually ended up killed, provided there was a consensus in the village. Regardless, the villagers seemed satisfied that nothing too unusual happened.

The priestess motioned for someone to help move the body, and Link bent down to pick up the legs. However, the priestess shook her head and gently pushed him back. "No, it would be most unwise."

Link watched Ingo Boratti being carried away toward the chapel, and slowly the crowd dissipated. Much like the previous day, when they accused him of setting the village on fire, most of the people had looks of accusation. Unable to stand the people's glares, Link walked toward his house, with Aryll following closely behind, crying slightly as she walked. He wasn't sure why she was following him, but as long as he didn't have to think of what was happening in his world, he would be fine. He would find some other distraction to occupy his day.

The two made it to Link's small hut and walked inside without exchanging conversation. He passed the Ruto Sword, which was mangled after he failed trying to impale himself with it the previous night, due to divine intervention. He awkwardly bypassed it and motioned Aryll to sit down. As if he was the adult, he sat on the edge of the bed, and tried making sense of the situation.

"It's such a tragedy he would take his life like that. Living alone in the forest must be lonesome, and to end it all by drinking poison..." Link stated without thinking, eyeing the mangled Ruto Sword when he mentioned suicide. He was trying as hard as he could to supress his emotions after everything that happened in the previous 24 hours.

Aryll looked up with fire in her eyes, and shouted, "Ingo would never have taken his own life. He was murdered!"

Link was taken aback, since he hadn't thought of that possibility. As much as he was trying to avoid thinking about his circumstances, his curiosity piqued his interest.

"Why would someone murder him, though? He's just some man in the woods," Link asked tentatively.

"Ingo and I were seeing each other for some time," she spoke, not directly toward Link and with a hint of shame.

"Since my father..." she paused with grimace in her tone.

"...starting seeing that woman, he's completely ignored me. The princess this, the princess that. All of that time only Ingo saw me as someone special," she finished.

Link looked toward Aryll, feeling awkwardly oblidged to provide some consoltation. Even if she was still plotting something, she was still in despair and needed consolation.

"There, there. He's basically ignored me most of my life too, just magic and history lessons here and there," he spoke, trying to shift the conversation away from the dead person. His thoughts turned toward last night, how Sahasrahla dragged him into danger and leading to his two friends getting kidnapped, not to mention him killing someone. If he was the mastermind behind some plot, he must have known that Link was the Hero of Time, but nothing was fitting into place.

"I just can't believe he's gone. Ingo was so pure, so innocent, always in the shadow of his brother," Aryll dwelled. Link wasn't familiar with Mr. Boratti, and as he thought about it more, he really didn't know anyone in his village that well. _Perhaps this was part of his plan, too - the fewer people who knew me the less collateral damage_, Link thought. Before he could get lost in his own thoughts again, Aryll let out a loud sob. She stood up and walked around the room.

"I'm sorry for your loss, I really am." Link remarked with a tinge of sarcasm. He tried to sound sincere, but he couldn't help thinking of his own losses, how Malon and Kafei were in danger because of him, how he killed the Hyrulian soldier, and how now, after the message from Din, that he was expected to save the world.

"Link, you are young. You still have plenty of time for friendship, for love," Aryll started, letting out a brief smile, until she stomped her boot on the hard floor of Link's hut.

"But mine was taken away from me," she retorted threateningly. She walked calmly around Link's bedroom, which frightened Link slightly since she looked like a crazed woman. She rustled her right hand through her blonde hair and tapped her left hand impatiently on her left leg. When Aryll made it to the side of his bed, she looked down at the Ruto Sword and gaped.

"What in Nayru happened here? Were you bored and wanted to test your strength!" she asked, picking up the twisted pile of metal with a scornful look on her face. Link looked down in his lap, and thought the situation was humerous. He saved Arcadia with that sword in the previous night, and she thought he was bored. It seemed that everything Link did around Torrhes was help others, yet he never had time to do what he wanted and be his own person.

"No, it was..." Link casually replied, but Aryll interrupted, much to his annoyance.

"Did you think it'd be funny destroying a sacred relic?"

"It was an..." he tried again, growing more frustrated.

" What's gotten into you? It's like your head isn't on straight and you're losing your rupees."

"Wait, it was..."

"Give me back Ingo's sword and go to Sahasrahla's house. Wait there until he returns, young man!" Aryll exclaimed, putting her hand out for the sword.

"No! You two aren't my parents, and I'm not giving you this," Link shouted back, clutching the sword and walking toward the door. "I'm done with this village - I'm going to rescue Kafei and Malon."

"Link, please wait," she gently requested, but he was not in the mood. He pulled the door open, only Aryll pushed it shut.

"That Ruto Sword was your father's, and it helped save the world. Sahasrahla could tell you more, but please don't leave Torrhes yet," Aryll pleaded, leaving Link stunned.

He always knew his father fought in the Hyrulian Civil War, but he never knew the details. He was still going to go save his friends, but not before a visit with Sahasrahla. He needed some answers from the only person he could turn to.


	11. History Lesson

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

With the sword over his shoulder and armed with a new revelation, Link bolted out of his hut, livid at all that was withheld from him. His thoughts swirled as he rushed past the residents of Torrhes.

"Watch it, hero coming through," Link screamed toward one passerby, who just stared at him.

_To think that Aryll and Sahasrahla were trying to protect me… from what?_ he thought as he nearly ran into Ilia, one of the female farmhands.

"Oh Link, I'm sorry what happened earlier, could you…" she began, but her cut her off.

"Not now, I'm busy," Link replied back, continuing toward Sahasrahla's hut. The previous day, he was supposed to have a magic lesson, which was disrupted due to a detour to the Arcadian capital, Drigoor.

He could handle putting out the fire and being the hero, but not if it was in fact caused by his old mentor. He could handle risking his life and saving Arcadia from Hyrulian slavery, but not if it meant his friends were put in danger. What he couldn't handle the most was that his father was apparently the previous Hero of Time, and how no adults ever cared to mention that detail.

In very little time, Link made it to Sahasrahla's hut, and for the second time in two days, entered hoping to receive some answers.

"Sahasrahla, we need to talk!" Link shouted once in the entranceway. It was not a big building, and he soon heard the hobbling of his old mentor approaching him.

"Link, I heard what you did last night. Queen Ambi can't thank you enough," Sahasrahla spoke.

Link held his breath for a moment, letting the old man speak before he thought of what he was going to do. He glanced at his hands, still slightly raw from destroying the moon stone.

"You've been lying to me. What have you been hiding?" Link asked, his temper rising due to how calm Sahasrahla was. He was staring down at the old man, each a short distance away from the other.

"I only just returned from Drigoor. I waited there with the queen, and it now appears that our relations with Hyrule have reached an all-time low," the old man responded, still calm despite Link's noticeable anger.

"All these years I thought you were my friend, but you've just been protecting me, isn't that it? Or were you keeping me from reaching my true potential as the Hero of Time? Have you been working with the enemy?" Link asked, rattling off what was going through his head.

The old man let out a sigh, walked past Link, and sat on the purple sofa beneath the window. This angered Link even more, and he pulled out the sword meant for Ingo. He brought it toward Sahasrahla's throat, whose eyes grew wide and fearful.

"Answer me!" Link threatened, relishing in the moment.

The old man stared at Link, and let out a sigh. "It is a long story..."

"...and I want to know everything. You know more about history than anyone else I know," Link interrupted.

"Very well." Sahasrahla replied calmly. Link was panting, but he waited for the old man to start talking before he did anything. "You can stay standing there, or you can sit down, I don't mind. It all began hundreds of years ago..."

_In the glory days of Hyrule, all people were united under one throne. The kingdom stretched as far as the eye could see, and all was fair between Hylians, Kokiri, Gerudo, Gorons, and Zoras. Gradually, the powers of the monarchy became less and less, as people took power into their own hands. All remained united, for a time. About 200 years ago, a group of anarchists rose through the Hyrulian government, calling for a new enlightened era. With little opposition, the monarchy was disbanded, and so began an era of democracy._

_By that time, the stories of ancient Hyrule became legends, each distorted more and more over the years, and some overlapping. Instead of a varied group of people, the legendary characters received the same names with similar characteristics: the hero always became known as Link, the princess as Zelda, and the antagonist as Ganon. People had stopped using magic and instead were developing wonderful new technologies, like…  
_

"Wait, I used magic last night, you use magic. It can't have been stopped," Link spoke up. He was sitting on the floor, mildly interested in what appeared to be a very long story. He had calmed down enough, and was now twisting the sword in a circular fashion, and Sahasrahla let out a sigh.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you the story. Hyrulian history is so long and complicated. Someone as yourself just couldn't understand half of it," the old man retorted.

"No, I'm sorry, please continue," Link requested.

"Hmm... you see..."

_For a while, the Hyrulian democracy was stable, and all people seemed content with each other. As people grew complacent, there was increasing inbreeding between the Hylians and other races. However, as such peace occurred, the many races chose to exert nationalist desires. One by one, the Zora, Gorons, Gerudo, and Kokiri all voiced their dissatisfaction with the government, and so they all became increasingly independent. The Hyrulian traditionalists wished nothing more than to keep the countries together, but still under a democracy. Meanwhile, a group of revolutionaries wished to retain semblances of the former Hylian monarchy, specifically the devotion to the goddesses. About 50 years ago, one Hyrulian delegate rose through the ranks, and was able to impose a lasting impression on his peers. _

_By that point, there was still the age-old myth that only one male Gerudo was born every 100 years, but no one dared to declare himself as such. Nevertheless, that one man, with the demeanor of someone with power and, in particular, resembling a Gerudo, led a rebellion to reaffirm the power of the Hyrulian government over its constituencies. _

_ And so began the great Hyrulian Civil War. That man, self-proclaimed a leader, who vowed to bring the world together by force, while the rest of the world was in shambles, awaiting a victor to determine how peace would prevail. As the Gerudo man gained influence across the government, a group of people started pushing for a link to the past. Known as the Arc of the Triforce, the group staged demonstrations across Hyrule, saying how the end of the world was near unless we restored such basic values as properly worshipping the goddesses._

"Wait, how do you know all of this again?" Link asked, with the story piquing his curiosity. He was lying down on the ground, with his hands clasped behind his head. After his adventures during the previous two days, he was rather tired, and he felt relaxed listening to the story, despite his earlier rage.

"I said 'we' for a reason. I was one of the Arc of the Triforce," Sahasrahla responded with a tinge of annoyance, although his face grew into a smile. He stretched out his right hand, and suddenly the sword Link was playing with was hovering in mid-air.

"I thought this was supposed to be here," the old man joked darkly, chuckling. Link just stared, not sure how to react at a sword levitating magically. It appeared that Sahasrahla was having more fun talking than Link was listening.

The old man continued. "Anyway..."

_The Arc of the Triforce gathered a loyal following. Our people began demanding for more responsible government, for someone who would last during times of turmoil. At the same time, the others were blindly following the Gerudo man. We suspected some sort of trickery, but we could never prove it. It appeared that many people across Hyrule actually believed his teachings, that we were better off with an incompetent and corrupt government._

_I only joined the Arcadians - as they were commonly known - because of my university studies. Earlier in my life, I had a keen interest in the past. In Ordon Village, I was in the library every day, learning as much as I could about our history. I finally went to Darunia University to pursue my passion. You see, my dissertation was a meticulous survey on the ancient royal family, everything from how they governed to how they determined the next monarch. I was in the process of determining who would have been the next ruler of Hyrule. They brought me in so I would have all of their resources, in order to find, without a doubt, who was the god-chosen successor to the throne. Little did I know that they were planning a coup as soon as I determined my results._

_I could sense excitement within the Arcadians. Their numbers were growing, and it seemed like there would be some inevitable conflict between them and the follower of the Gerudos. I could sense they were relying more and more on my studies, so I took my time in translating the ancient Hylian texts. Most of the members were mindlessly following us, much like our opposing group. Even the Arc's leaders seemed as if they were just going along with the flow._

_...except one, Ambi._

_She stopped by my room one night. She wanted to talk with someone, anyone, who would make plans for the future. Ambi opened herself to me, and I knew she was different. Her ideas were more specific than the others. She called for compromise with our actions, and tried to prevent the conflict from becoming anything more. I diligently listened to her, and I shared my own ideas with her. We saw each other increasingly more, and began to depend on each other through the difficult times. Ambi often spent entire evenings in my loft, and I fell in love with her._

_However, she was outnumbered, and the rest of the Arcadians were just interested in holding rallies that often devolved into drunken parties._

_When I had a clear mind and was free from Ambi, I was beginning to worry that I was on the wrong side. The people following the Gerudo only wanted to have a strong government and keep the people together, and I almost envied them, if they weren't blindly following a potential tyrant. _

_One day, I finally completed my studies, I was disgusted by my results. The rightful king of Hyrule should have been Harkinian, a greedy man who would have ruled with an iron fist. He was one of the few Arcadian leaders who had a mind of his own, and he spent most of his time corrupting other members. I knew that if he became the king, then Hyrule would become a dark place. However, I was blinded by love. I quickly edited my work and forged my results, and at one meeting, I announced that Ambi was to be the rightful monarch. The group celebrated at my results, and no one doubted me. Instead, it seemed they were ready to go ahead with doing something big and bold, only no one knew to what to do._

_At the same time, the so-called democracy was becoming increasingly under the influence of the Gerudo man. Everyone was becoming afraid. Friends turned against friends, family against family, Zoras against Gorons. They all knew a war was coming. Demonstrations became violent, and people burned down the few churches remaining from when the monarchy was still around. While at one time the different races were all evenly represented in the Hyrulian democracy, they all became targeted and ridiculed. To quell the disorder, the government increased the size of the military, in a show of force. However, this heightened tensions more._

_The Zoras, long known for their oath to order and loyalty to the royal family, took action and declared their independence. Any Hylian with Zora blood was invited to join their new nation, and many took up that offer, including a brave young man who deserted the Hylian army.  
_

"That's my father Talo," Link interrupted, hanging on to Sahasrahla's every word. "I can tell how described him, your face lit up."

"Yes, very perceptive Link," the old man responded, before continuing.

_With my duty finding the royal successor finished, I was directed to spy on the Gerudo man. Others had more useful duties, so they claimed, such as organizing more rallies, or training a small militia. _

_And so I followed as he led a garrison of the Hylian army toward Zora Domain. I managed to join them as a spy without any of them knowing. They were disorganized, and it took weeks to make the trek from Hyrule Castle to the waterfalls just outside of the Zora borders. I heard rumors that the Gerudo man used magic to control people's opinions, and I wanted to see for myself._

_The only goal of the Gerudo, as I found out, was to force the Zoras to rejoin Hyrule, either by persuasion or by force. The Gerudo man went alone into the Zora territory, but some of the soldiers helped me sneak in. What I saw I couldn't believe. _

_Talo stood with a sword in his hand, and the Gerudo man was lying on the ground, grasping his chest. I walked over to Talo, and he was in disbelief. We both watched as the man took his final breath, and finally collapse. Talo dropped the sword and shook his head in disbelief, saying how it shouldn't have been him – a mixed blood – killing the evil force. He ran away from me as a Zora came over to me. His name was Ruto, and he was only supposed to be the guard on duty for the night. I told him to take credit for what happened, and I promised him that I would return to help._

_I made my way back outside to rejoin the soldiers. Everyone was calm as if nothing happened, and I tried to act as normal as possible. After an hour, one of the leading officers, General Sakon, went into the domain, and he quickly returned to proclaim a message: that the leader had been captured, and that we were to return to Hyrule Castle to prepare for war. _

_I was in disbelief, for I saw their leader die at the ledge of Zora Domain. The garrison gradually disbanded, with no one to lead the troops. I managed to sneak away to the Arcadian camp, but by then they already knew that war had begun. Ruto, the Zora, was already a hero, and our militia was preparing to aid them _

_However, by then, the Gorons led a sneak attack against the Kokiri, demanding access to the Lost Woods. The Zoras became more independent with their surge of nationalism, and they declared war against the Hylians. Everyone was at war with each other, and increasingly no one felt they could trust each other. Society and progress came to a halt. The Hyrulian democracy was disbanded in favor of a dictatorship. We Arcadians tried to straddle the various ethnic groups and gain their support, but we had no luck. With the increasing bloodshed across the world, we declared our own independence, claiming the sparsely inhabited territory in the mountains and beyond. _

_I tried maintaining a connection with Ambi, as she instituted her reforms and ideas. However, I could never be completely honest with her, since she was not the rightful ruler. We drifted apart, and during the years of civil war, I wandered the world, looking for my purpose in life. I eventually reached the distant land of Termina, where all was peaceful, in contrast to Hyrule where it felt the sky was falling. Although I was only there for three days, I learned much from the Terminans, such as magic and even more about the history of the world. _

_For a while, I isolated myself from the world. I couldn't help think how Ambi was not the god-chosen successor, and how I could've helped the Gerudo man – at least he kept all of the races together. In the subsequent years, the tensions calmed and the fighting abated, but Hyrule had a deep scar that lives through today. _

_Without the unity of the different races, the world became very dark. The Hylians were the first to recover, as they were the most populous. They restored their democracy, and resumed their progress, only they maintained their fear of the other races. The Zoras became very proud of their capabilities, and they too grew prosperous, but they hardly resembled their ancestors, who swore to work hand-in-fin with the Hylians. The Kokiri suffered the worst losses, owing to their population being children, but the forest gradually repopulated them. The Gorons only fared minimal casualties, but they lost any progress as a civilization, resuming their barbaric rituals of the ancient past. And so Arcadia was on the outskirts, struggling to find its own identity. _

_We built our nationhood on the monarchy and the goddesses, and for a while we were largely successful. We were always on edge with the Hylians, and there were minor skirmishes over the following decades. In one such battle, your father Taro left with a militia group, and was never seen again. Before he left, he met a young Arcadian widow - your mother. They quickly grew close, but he died going to save his country, and before they could get married. Nine months later, a young child was born, and it was with my suggestion that the mother name him Link. _

__"I'm sure you know the rest by now," Sahasrahla spoke, ending the story. Link sat quietly. It was dark outside by now. He had no idea the true history of Arcadia. He was only taught a much more fantasized version in his schooling. As the information digested, Link knew there was still more to the story.

"But there's so much that you left out. Who started the fire from the other night? What is Ganon planning now? Is he the son of that Gerudo man - who is evidently nameless? You said that a Gerudo was born once every 100 years, but wouldn't that be impossible for there to be a Gerudo father/son? How did my mother really die? Does anyone even know your side of the story?" Link asked, going through everything on his mind.

"Another day, Link. My throat is tired," the old man said, standing up and walking past a confused Link. "Would you like to stay for supper? You could use a good meal after all you've been through the past few days."

"No thanks, Sarsa. I have some thinking to do," Link replied, picking up the sword. He walked outside without another word and headed toward his hut, wondering how much of the story was true. 

_But Din said to be more trusting in people_... Link thought. The goddess also spoke of him saving the world, but with Sahasrahla's story, it appeared to be an impossible task. The only way the world could be saved is by bringing everyone back together.

By the time he reached his hut, Link had realized that he had been unfair to the old man. After years of training and friendship, he had no doubt that Sahasrahla was honest with him, after all, and that he should trust him. Making up his mind, he turned around and ran back to Sahasrahla's house. He walked in without knocking, and saw the old man in the little kitchen.

"Link, did you forget anything?" asked Sahsrahla.

"Yes. I am sorry how I treated you, and I would love to have dinner with you, if you don't mind," Link replied.

The old man smiled, and the two bonded over a meal. They avoided talking further about the past. Link knew that his curiosity could wait until another time.


	12. The Leader

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

"Sarsa, you know, I was getting ready to leave town earlier tonight," Link mentioned casually during a break in the conversation. He was sitting at the dining room in Sahasrahla's hut, the two of them midway through a meal of grilled rabbit. It had been a long couple of days for Link, but hearing the in-depth account of the past made him realize he was someone special. He had the power to fix previous mistakes to make a better future.

"I am surprised you've lasted this long," Sahasrahla joked, chuckling as took a sip of Lon Lon wine. Link laughed as well, but it wasn't a big secret how safe he felt in Torrhes. He had a feeling the discussion was going to turn Hero of Time business, so he changed the topic.

"It is a shame about Aryll, though. She was pretty devastated earlier after Mr. Boratti died."

"My daughter is a special girl. I am sure she will be fine. But you... why would you want to leave all of this?" the old man responded, bringing the conversation back to Link.

"Well, my friends were taken away from me, you know, Malon and Kafei," Link rambled. He really didn't want the conversation to focus on him.

"You really liked her, didn't you?"

"She was just a girl. I never really got the chance to know her. Kind of like how I never got to know Aryll and Ingo being together. She seemed really upset earlier. How come you didn't invite her over for dinner?"

"You know, Link, you did have me as a hostage. I didn't have the chance."

The old man laughed again before continuing, "besides, Aryll and I haven't been getting along that well lately."

Link looked up curiously at Sahasrahla. Aryll had mentioned earlier that day that she was feeling neglected by her father, in favor of "the princess". Link had never seen a close relationship between the father and daughter, and instead it seemed very business-like. He wasn't sure whether it was time to mention it, but sensing an awkward pause in the conversation, he spoke up.

"I think she is just jealous that you were spending time with Zelda instead of her," Link remarked. After a few seconds of silence, he spoke again, "or she was just emotional over Ingo."

"No, young lad, you were right about Zelda. But I considered it my duty to keep tabs on Harkinian," the old man responded, setting his knife and fork down on his plate and letting out a deep sigh. He took a deep swig of his wine, finishing what was in his glass.

"What do you mean? What does one have to do with the other?" Link asked, also putting his silverware down.

"Harkinian is the rightful ruler of Hyrule, and when I found out he had a daughter 20 years ago, I wanted to make sure she could be a capable leader."

Sahasrahla let out a gleaming smile that showed a few missing teeth. Link then remembered a small detail from the old man's story.

"Did you suggest her name be Zelda, like you suggested mine be Link?" he asked.

"No, I'm afraid not," the old man replied curtly before he stood up. He lost his balance and held onto the table. Link wasn't sure whether to laugh or not, so he sat and watched as Sahasrahla picked up the plates. Sometimes the old man acted foolish for his entertainment, but as he was 74, he could also have had too much wine for his age.

"Well Link, I've done enough talking today for the both of us. I think we could both use some rest," the old man said, indicating that Link should leave.

"Thank you very much for the meal and the stories. By the way, what happened with Zelda?" Link asked.

"She left earlier today back for Hyrule. We all must do our god-given duties, eh Link?" Sahasrahla joked, picking up the dishes and walking toward the sink. "I'll see you tomorrow, I hope," he called from the kitchen.

Link still had so many questions. Never before had he had such an open talk with Sahasrahla, although, as he thought about it more, he realized he never asked properly. He always took his time with the old man for granted. They often joked and told fantastic stories, but rarely had Link relied on his mentor for the past. In his lifetime, the extent of which he got from the old man was bits and pieces about Link's parents He knew he would ask more the following day, and satisfied with his quench for answers, he walked out of the hut.

It was late, and no one was outside. The moon was high above Torrhes, and as he walked, Link looked up toward the stars. So much had changed since the last time he got a good view of the sky, just two nights prior when he saw the town ablaze. He knew there were answers out there, just as there would be adventures and new stories out there. Link would have to leave Torrhes soon, but he decided he would wait, at least until his birthday.

Link was so deep in thought that he didn't notice the figure approaching him. Perhaps in paranoia, he pulled out the sword he was carrying, but lowered it once he realized who it was.

"Queen Ambi, what are you doing here?" Link asked in shock. She was alone, and clutched her large purple overcoat, seemingly for protection. Her graying hair was kept under a tight hat, and her wrinkled skin confirmed Link's earlier suspicions - that she was much older than he thought she was.

"Oh Link, I'm glad you're safe. Is your father around?" replied Ambi, queen of Arcadia. Link looked at her puzzlingly, unsure if he heard her correctly. She looked nervous, and after several moments realized her mistake.

"I mean Sahasrahla," the queen stated, forcing a light chuckle.

"Yea, I was just with him," Link remarked, hoping that would placate the monarch. However, Ambi stayed, waiting in the darkness next to Link. Link continued speaking, unsure what she wanted.

"Do you want me to walk with you to his hut?"

"Oh, no. I was just thinking of what I am going to say. I do really love this village," Ambi rambled. As much as Link wanted to go home, his curiousity got the best of him.

"Queen Ambi, what is wrong?" Link asked, his mind contemplating a myriad of possibilities. She looked at him and smiled.

"Thank you, young boy. I am sorry, I am just unfamiliar how to handle this."

Link thought he knew what this was about. After the Hyrulian sneak attack with the train, not to mention his two friends being held hostage, he figured there was a major collapse in relations between the countries. He looked at her differently than he had the previous night. Now that he knew she wasn't the rightful successor to the throne, she suddenly seemed so much more vulnerable. He could only imagine the pressure she was under as head of state.

Thinking it would make her feel better, Link spoke up. "It's alright Ambi, your secret is safe with me - Sarsa told me."

She looked at him dirtily when he addressed her, but forced a smile and replied.

"I am just unfamiliar with family issues. After he died..."

She paused when Link had a look of confusion on his face.

"Link, I am sorry, but what were _you_ referring to?" Queen Ambi asked. Link looked around, making sure no one was listening. There was no around Torrhes, and aside from a rustling in the bushes, it was quiet.

He whispered, "It's fine, just how you weren't supposed to be the ruler of Arcadia. Harkinian was, by blood."

The queen's eyes grew wide and fearful. She brushed her hands at her side and walked toward Sahasrahla's house.

"That's right. Now you should get to bed young lad. These are dangerous times," she called back.

Link wasn't sure what he had done - _perhaps Sahasrahla wasn't supposed to tell anyone? _he thought. He followed her advice and headed to his hut. He laid down on his bed, and had the first sound sleep in several weeks.


	13. Aryll

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

In the hours after his death, people around Torrhes reached a collective conclusion: that Ingo Boratto took his own life. He was described as the weird member of the village, or, if someone was nice, he was merely considered the loner.

Aryll looked down at villagers, for she knew him like no one else did. He was merely someone reaching out for help. Anyone she talked to almost seemed excited at his passing. It was not often that anything special happened in Torrhes. However, after the fire and the young boy's rescue, everyone thirsted for more excitement, and a suicide provided just the material.

She laid awake on her bed, feeling sick to her stomach. Overcome by emotion, she started crying, realizing how alone she was.

Aryll thought about the first time she met him. Ingo visited her hut one day two years prior, asking for advice on fishing. Aryll was taken aback, as people only went to her father Sahasrahla for advice. After that, they gradually spent more and more time with each other. He showed her the wonders of nature, and she shared what she knew about Arcadia's history, due to her special insight from her father.

Aryll was always in the shadows of her father, or worse, tried to distance herself from him. In her younger years, she often ran away. Her father never provided her the loving she thought she deserved. Perhaps it was because he was so famous, or just the lack of a mother figure, but Aryll never found her place in her family. She only discovered her mother was still alive when she was in her late 20's. She tried to compensate for her lack of family by being tough and train in fighting, but her lifelong dream - joining and rising through the ranks of the Arcadian military - came to a halt when she realized she had no place in the world as a woman. She channeled her anger toward fighting wrongdoings whenever she could, but it seemed Sahasrahla was always there to outdo her. He was the one who pushed for peace between Arcadia and Hyrule, who was always at the beck and call of the queen, and who saw the most potential on others. First, it was with Link, the supposed chosen one, but it seemed that once she had a similar interest in him, he switched to Zelda, the Hyrulian wonder girl.

Only Ingo saw her as some special, someone worth paying attention to. And so their relationship blossomed. Ingo insisted it stay a secret, since he did not want to burden her with the judging eyes of the Torrhes villagers. Likewise, Aryll did not want to appear weak to anyone. She wanted people to think of her as her own woman, and being at the side of a man would have belittled what little status she had. Over time, though, she became the woman she feared. Aryll was slowly falling in love. Although she and Ingo only saw each other once a week, at most, she soon spent most of her time planning what they would do with their time. Whenever he claimed to be too busy, she accepted any of his excuses. Despite his forthcomings, Ingo found a way to complete her than no one else could.

Her first major test was when, out of the blue, Sahasrahla warned her that Ingo was dangerous and working for the Hylians. Aryll thought he was delusional - it happened during one of their many fights. However, for a few months, she thought that Ingo was someone that he was not showing her, that he was hiding something. After she asked more about his life, he became secluded, and so she stopped her witchhunt.

However, the next test came soonafter. Link and his best friend Kafei were just finished schooling, and they were looking for anything to do. She knew that she had to help the young boys, and for several weeks, she watched over them, keeping them busy with tasks she was supposed to be doing so she could spend time with Ingo. Unfortunately, they often got into trouble, being unable to complete as simple tasks as repairing a fence or preparing medicine. Aryll put their relationship on hold to take care of the recently free teenagers, and provided them with a basic understanding various career choices in the world. She was apprehensive to teach Link, since her father had such a special interest in him, and would have rather taught Kafei, who was funnier and more enjoyable to be around. However, her father stepped in to tutor Kafei, who showed an interest in alchemy, leaving the supposed hero with Aryll. He seemed to have little clue what he was doing, which required she spend more time away from Ingo.

Over time, things settled down, and for the previous year nothing significant changed between the two of them. They were content with their relationship - neither needed any more out of it. That is what made his death so upsetting.

Aryll dwelled over Ingo's apparent suicide. He had shown no changes in his behavior, and he was always so cheerful with her. At first, she was in a state of complete shock. She thought about what she spoke to Link, after his body was carried toward the church. She thought Ingo was murdered, and for a while she was embarrassed by what she said. As far as she knew, the only person who he ever disliked was his older brother Talon, but he died two years prior. Nothing made sense. There was purple around his mouth, and she was not completely sure, but such color in a poison could only come the root of a Deku Baba plant.

She wished she had paid more attention to her father's teachings. While she previously considered them useless, she wish she knew for sure about the poison color. From her own travels when she was younger, she knew that the Deku Baba could not survive in the mountainous terrain of Arcadia. It could only grow in certain locations in Hyrule. Either it was someone from Hyrule who murdered him, or he was traveling much farther than he admitted. Either way, she needed to know the truth.

Still feeling nauseous, Aryll rose out of bed. She knew it was the middle of the night, but she needed answers. She walked out of her bedroom into the tool shop, and procured what she needed - a small bottle and a cloth, as well as a sword for safety and a cloak for warmth.

She promptly walked out of her hut, ignoring the bitter wind of nighttime blowing across her face. The moonlight above guided her pathway as she headed toward the church. No one was to be soon, so she walked through the doors into the building.

"I am sorry Din, Nayru, and Farore for what I am about to do," Aryll whispered as she crept down the aisle. Ingo's body was in the front, wrapped in several layers of cloth. She looked around, her heart beating faster and faster. Slowly, she unraveled each sheet around the corpse. For a moment, she was unsure if she wanted to see his face again, but she had to know what happened to him.

Finally, the last layer was removed, and as soon as Aryll saw Ingo's face she started to cry. The purple residue was still around and inside his mouth, and she lowered herself over his head. She was about to kiss him and end her pain, when she heard a noise from behind the sanctuary.

Quickly, Aryll pulled out the cloth and carefully got as much of the poison off of his body. She heard the door open, and she promptly stuffed the cloth into the bottle.

"Stop! What are you doing?" shrieked Heraeth, the elderly priestess.

"I wanted to pay my last respects to the man I loved," Aryll answered truthfully. She hid the bottle in her clock.

"By defacing his body like that? May the goddesses punish you and your children!" the priestess shouted back, briskly walking toward her. Aryll was in no mood to be lectured.

"Fortunately for you, I have no children," Aryll retorted, pulling out the sword. "And if you step any closer, I'll make sure your teachings aren't heard by anyone else ever again."

Heraeth paused as Aryll stood up. "The goddesses will follow you and haunt you wherever you go unless you restore the sanctity of this body," she spoke, calmly but scared.

"I am sorry, but I need to know," Aryll remarked, still holding out the sword. "I need to use your horse. I will bring it back when I am done," she continued, walking backward toward the door.

"My horse would never listen to someone so vile," Heraeth hissed. Aryll watched her bend over and cover up Ingo again before she walked outside.

Aryll felt disgusted with herself, but there was no turning back now. She found the dark steed tied up next to the church, and walked over to it. While she was untying him, she spoke aloud.

"There, there. I am Aryll. We're just going for a little ride to Drigoor, so I can find out what happened to the man I love. You understand, right?"

The horse let out a whinny, and Aryll climbed up onto him. The two raced out of the village into the darkness of night.


	14. Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

Laying in his bed, Link smiled as he felt the warmth of the glowing sun come through his window. It was a blissful moment after a night of uninterrupted sleep, but it was fleeting. He had been acting the previous two days without thinking, and only just remembered what he did the previous night.

_I really messed that one up_, Link thought, realizing he held Sahasrahla against his will. He tried justifying it to himself, as it was only to get answers to questions he had never asked before. Now that he knew his destiny was rapidly approaching as the Hero of Time, and with a little reassurance from a goddess, he was more curious about the world around him. For too long, he took for granted having someone who knew a United Hyrule, as well as one of the best fighters in the country. Link tossed and turned as his thoughts swirled around. Realizing it was time to get up, he threw off the sheets and stepped onto the wooden floor.

"Ow..." he uttered automatically. He couldn't remember why he was hurting, until he recalled the fight he was in by the cabin of Ingo Boratti.

_And I messed that up too_, Link thought when he noticed how insensitive he was to Aryll for the loss of her significant other. As good as his day started, it had already turned in the opposite direction. He hoped he could have just a plain, ordinary day, the one he was tired of just two days before.

Feeling his stomach rumble, Link changed into his daily wardrobe - white pants, a brown long-sleeved shirt, and green cloak on top - and started planning his day. He didn't have any food, and so he was hoping he could apologize over breakfast at Sahasrahla's. Although their meal went fine without incident, he just wanted to clarify that the relationship was fine between the old man and student.

When he stepped outside, he took a breath of fresh air and headed toward Sahasrahla's. He was glad that there were no eyes glaring at him, unlike the previous day, and he strolled through the village, casually listening to the passerby's gossip.

"...it was that drunk who lit the town on fire."

"No, I'm telling you, the goddesses caused that fire two nights ago! I better go worship more often..."

"What an unusually warm day today..."

"...and that party this year, for 50 years of independence, should be magnificent!"

Link smiled, listening to the townspeople. He didn't mind telling them what had been going on, such as with the fire, since even he didn't fully know what happened. Link was merely a bystander, and although one day he would be setting the course of history, today he had the chance of enjoying himself without scrutiny of the populace. His stomach grumbled again, and he was glad he was almost at Sahasrahla's house.

"Hey Link, hold up!" a voice called out. Link spun around to see Bouer standing cheerfully. Link wasn't exactly thrilled to see him, since he had shown off his magic abilities in front of the boy, and he wasn't sure whether he could trust him.

"Oh, hi there. I can't talk now, I'm sorry," Link replied, trying to avoid him. He turned around and continued walking toward Sahasrahla's.

"No, it's just that I saw you last night with the queen. Is it true?" Bouer shouted out. Link paused and felt his heart plummet. He was terrified that he let the information slip, how Ambi was not the rightful queen.

"Umm, I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"You know you're a terrible liar, right?"

Link felt dejected for a moment, trying to come up with a proper reply, at least until he looked at the young boy's smiling face. Link let out a laugh, unsure what was so funny, but he found comfort in his company. "I'll catch up with you later. I'm meeting my friend for breakfast," Link noted, reaching the door of Sahasrahla's hut and pulling on the door. It was locked, and he was puzzled. He pulled several times before Bouer spoke up.

"I think I saw him leaving town this morning," the red-haired boy remarked. Link shrugged and walked away from the hut. _Sarsa could handle himself_, he thought.

"Yea, I was just stopping here on the way to the house of another friend," Link spoke, planning to go to Aryll's instead, although he relished at the thought of her cooking.

"Well, I'll walk with you, but we gotta be careful. Can you believe there was such a sudden death yesterday in a small town like this? Where I come from, the police would be all over it," Bouer spoke casually.

"Why? What is police?"

"Wow, this country is backwards! And I could tell you weren't kidding how you didn't know what police are. They enforce the law of the land, like the soldiers keeping order."

"Wait, so you are from Hyrule then, right?" Link asked, creating a pause in the conversation. The two strolled toward Aryll's house. Link was quite curious about the boy talking to him. It finally sunk in how Bouer was not from Arcadia, that he was from Hyrule. All of Link's teachings from school were that Hyrule and Arcadia were bitter enemies, with little communication between the two nations.

"And you've been all across your country to end up here?"

"Yea... it's funny how things work out, leaving Hyrule for this... so, you're meeting up with Aryll, aren't you?"

"Yea, we were going to have breakfast," Link mentioned, noticing how he was at Aryll's house. Like Sahasrahla's, the hut was quiet and dark, and there was no sign of anyone inside.

"Looks like it's a bust. Do you want to grab something that Nayru provided? The goddesses provide the best food after all," Bouer replied.

Link was surprised how intuitive Bouer was for how young he appeared, but was pleased to have someone tagging along with him, particularly to get some food. With Kafei and Malon out of the picture, Link was glad someone else around his age to keep him company. Feeling more keen to continue socializing with Bouer, Link responded, "sure, that works for me. What do you have in mind?"

"Oh, just follow me." Bouer started to walk quickly, gradually increasing to a run. "Think you can keep up?" he shouted to Link.

"Oh, it's on!" Link yelled back, running with a lethal vengeance to keep up with the boy.

The two dodged the bewildered faces of the villagers, making their way to the outskirts of town.

Twice Link nearly stumbled as he lost his footing, focusing on where the boy was running instead of what was at his feet. He couldn't believe how fast the boy ran, almost as if he had Farore's winds at his back. He was equally impressed with how agile the boy was, as Link was having difficulty with the pathway, littered with broken pots and torn shrubs.

Link tried his hardest not to be outrun by the kid, putting every effort to keep up. He was momentarily distracted as his cloak fluttered in a particularly strong wind gust. In the process, he lost track of where Bouer was, but he finally realized where ended up; he was the abandoned farm on the outskirts of town, where his adventures of the past few days started.

_So that's what he meant by what Nayru provided_, Link thought. He reasoned to himself that as the barn was abandoned, the food was up for grabs, and after his intense run, he could eat anything he could find. However, as he looked around for Bouer, a glimmer of silver caught his eye.

Ignoring his desire for food and water, Link walked over to the shiny object. He let out a laugh when he realized it was only his silver arrows. He forgot about it once he realized Torrhes was on fire.

Not wanting to lose one of his better birthday gifts, he promptly picked it up and stuffed it into his green cloak. He looked around for the matching bow, and was slightly worried someone else might've taken it, since he always felt special when he used it.

Link made his way to a very shallow stream and was relieved to find it sitting in the grass. He picked it up and placed it in his cloak, next to the arrows.

"There you are! I was wondering when you were going to catch up," Bouer remarked, which startled Link. He hadn't heard his companion walk up behind him. Link bent his hands down into the water and a drink.

"Oh, hey there. I was thirsty after that awesome run!" Link replied back. He didn't want his friend to know about the arrows. For all he knew, they were magical and dangerous in the wrong hands.

"Are you hiding anything?" Bouer asked, eying Link curiously and creating a silence between the two. Link was expecting a boy to be much more gullible, not interrogative.

"You really are fast for a 14 year old," Link deflected, trying to break the quiet while guessing Bouer's age.

"I'm not 14... anyway, here, eat up!" Bouer remarked as he tossed Link an ear of corn with a sudden smile. Once they were closer friends, Link decided, he would share more about himself. In the present, however, the two enjoyed eating the various fruits and vegetables around the abandoned farm.

The two made small, idle chat, although occasionally Link tried prying into Bouer's past. Every time he did it, however, the boy deflected the question, or responded with an unlikely answer, such as Bouer being related to a member of the Hylian parliament who signed a law banishing magic. _As if such a practice could be outlawed_, Link thought.

After finishing eating, the two men grew bored, and there was a long silence. Link looked toward Torrhes, still in disbelief how the village was set ablaze only nights before. There was question nagging in his head, so he blurted it right out.

"So Bouer, you didn't cause the fire the other night, did you?"

"How could you say that? I thought we were friends," Bouer replied.

"It's just that you showed up a day later, and as far as I've seen, you don't actually know anyone in town," Link rambled, feeling worse as he went on while looking at the boy's dejected face.

"I've been staying at Ilia's house for weeks. I'm sorry I wasn't important enough for you to notice me."

Link was having such a good day until he brought up this conversation. For the first time in a while, he was spending most of his time not with Aryll or Sahasrahla, and he did not want to jeopardize their friendship.

"Listen, I'm sorry. Let me make it up to you by showing you something special," Link remarked, deciding against his original plans. He pulled out the bow and silver arrows from his cloak and showed it to Bouer, who promptly backed away.

"No, it's OK. I got it as a birthday gift, I know how to use them," Link said, forcing a smile when he saw the boy curling up on the ground. He noticed how Bouer was looking sick, and was hoping the boy wasn't afraid of him now.

Bouer pushed his hands on the ground and backed away from Link. Once there was some distance between the two, he stood up and was looking much better.

"That's an amazing item you have there, quite divine, even," Bouer commented.

"Check this out, then."

Link pulled out a single arrow and placed it in the bow. He drew the string and shot it at the scarecrow across the field.

_CLICK_

The arrow easily hit the target.

"Wow, some aim you have there," Bouer retorted with a quiver of anxiety in his voice.

"That's nothing. Stand up next to that tree and hold an apple over your head. I'll bet you 100 rupees you won't even feel it," Link said, feeling confident and amused to see his friend's reaction.

"No way!" Bouer replied, more scared than he was before. He ran into the barn away from Link.

"I was only kidding! Hey, where did you go?" Link asked, running after the boy into the barn.

He saw Bouer reaching into a bag when he entered the building.

"Listen, we should probably get going, it's getting late and I'm sure you have work to do," Bouer told Link. "If you want, I'll race you back to the village."

"Sure, why not?" Link replied, somewhat uneasy how the day had taken such a sudden turn.

"Here, it'll give you the energy so you might be able to keep up," Bouer remarked, handing Link a bottle with orange liquid inside.

"I'm ready when you are," Link laughed as he gulped down the bottle.

The two raced away from the barn, and for a while both were neck-and-neck. After a minute, Link began feeling sick, and he stumbled, allowing Bouer to gain the lead. Link pushed through his discomfort, but again he stumbled.

Suddenly, a loud noise began ringing in Link's ears. He tripped and fell to the ground, holding his hands against his head. He looked ahead toward Bouer, but his vision became distorted, first turning black and white, then a dark shade of red, forcing him to shut his eyes.

_HEH HEH HEH HEH_

Link heard an evil laughter surrounding him. He opened his eyes, and saw a flash of images.

_A boat on an icy sea..._

_A couple holding a baby..._

_A desert with a triangle rock formation..._

_A prison..._

_A man with green skin and red hair, laughing..._

_HEH HEH HEH HEH_

Link gasped for air, feeling his lungs turn to ice, and unable to withstand anymore, he passed out.


	15. The Brother and the Queen

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

_Link was floating. All was calm, like a dream, but everything was dark. If it was a dream, it wasn't very happy, but then it wasn't sad either. It was just stasis. He didn't know how long he was floating for. It could have been hours, or days, or only seconds. Eventually, a light started to exist far in the distance. Link floated toward it, and eventually three bright colours came into focus. He could hear voices, soft and faint, and he struggled to hear their words. _

[Farore] Should we give him another chance?

[Nayru] It was his fault... foolish boy. He should've thought ahead.

[Farore] But sisters, he didn't know yet.

[Din] Don't look at me, I told him he wasn't invulnerable. He was probably too distracted by my heat.

[Nayru] Given how prone he is to hurting himself, perhaps we should aid his quest more.

[Din] We already gave him the power of fire.

[Farore] But he could already do that before you met with him.

[Nayru] Then we shall bring him back, but we will take away his magic power.

[Din] Agreed.

[Farore] Agreed.

_"Wait... wait..." Link shouted, but his voice did not go anywhere in the void. He desperately wanted to avoid losing the one thing that made him special, and he tried remaining in his place to plea his case to the goddesses. However, the light increased ahead of him more and more, and he could no longer resist the flow._

_

* * *

_"Oh, you are awake," a green-haired girl remarked, before turning away and leaving the door.

Link took a minute to adjust to his surroundings. It was nighttime, and he was laying in a bed, one of two in the room. He slowly realized that the girl was Ilia, a friend of his from the village, and this must have been her house. He tried moving his hands, but he was tied to the bed, causing his heart to drop and letting anxiety set in.

_Please no, please let me use my magic_, Link thought desperately trying to produce a bit of fire to set him free. He thrashed, trying to escape, but it was for naught. While moving around, he caught a glimpse of his right hand, which was bandaged for some reason.

He heard footsteps coming down the hall, and he wasn't sure whether to scream or not. He saw Bouer and Ilia walk through the doorway, and he impatiently awaited what they were going to do to him.

"Hey man, I am so sorry," Bouer started apologetically, trying to avoid Link's face. "I had no idea the nepenthe would do that to you. I didn't realize anything was wrong with you until started seizing when the sun went down. You kept thrashing, that's why we had to tie you up."

Link was severely confused. The last thing he remembered was that it was midday near the farm... or was it later? He vaguely remembered something happening before he woke up, but he couldn't be sure.

"Can you untie me now, please?" Link asked angrily. "Hurry... now!" he added, after the two other people in the room hesitated. He saw a smirk on Bouer's face, and then noticed his right hand also had a bandage over it.

After being released, Link was slightly calmer. He had no idea what happened, and other than the bandage couldn't tell if anything had actually happened. Casually, he remarked, "So that was quite a day."

"You're telling me, I haven't had that much fun in years!"

"Yea, that run was quite..."

"Nah, everything after that run!"

"Like this?" Link pointed to his right hand.

Bouer put his right hand up to Link's. "Yea, we're blood brothers now."

Link's heart sank a little bit. He hardly knew the red-haired boy right in front of him. In fact, there was only one person he would ever consider a brother - Kafei. His heart sunk further that his two friends were taken captive, while he was apparently having the time of his life that he couldn't remember.

"Now that you're ready, let's go on another adventure," Bouer remarked. Link felt an automatic desire to agree, but the more he thought about it, it was the last thing he wanted to do.

"No, I'm alright," Link responded. Ilia let out a small gasp, which startled Link; he forgot she was still in the room.

"Brother, let's go, come on," Bouer repeated. Again, Link felt an impulse to agree, but he did not want to join his "brother" at all.

"No, I'm sorry, I'm still feeling tired," Link lied. Both friends looked into each other's eyes intently, blue eyes versus brown eyes. The brief standoff ended when Bouer snapped his wrist against his head.

"I'll be back later," the boy remarked painfully, suddenly leaving the room.

After he heard the footsteps go downstairs, Link looked toward Ilia, but she quickly spoke first

"How did you say no to him? He's been living with us for a week. Anything he says he forces us to do. Even you, with all you did today, I would never have thought you could say no to him. Burning the barn, stealing those rupees..."

"What do you mean?" Link interrupted, with a thousand thoughts running through his head.

Before Ilia could reply, Link heard footsteps running quickly up the steps. Bouer re-entered the room, still clutching his head.

"Forgot something..." he remarked painfully. Still confused, Link watched as the boy stumbled his way to the corner of the room; he eventually found what he was looking for in a large pile.

"And Ilia, don't talk to Link until I get back. He needs his rest," he commented before walking out of the room.

After he again heard the footsteps go downstairs, Link looked to Ilia for answers, but she was silent.

"What is happening? Can't you say anything?" Link asked, to which she shook her head. Instead, she pulled him over the window and pointed toward the forest.

"Is this anything to do with Ingo's death yesterday?" he questioned. She again shook her head, and pointed at the ground. Bouer had just left the house and was walking in the direction of the forest.

"Thanks, I'll go follow him. Stay safe," Link told Ilia. She gave him a kiss on the cheek before motioning him to hurry and leave.

Link climbed out the window and let his feet dangle. He dropped his body down and hung from the windowsill, but a sharp pain in his right hand caused him to fall to the ground. He moaned in pain and kept his mouth shut; he knew if he screamed aloud then he might get caught, and he wanted to know what his "friend" and "blood brother" was up to.

He hurried along the moonlit corridors of Torrhes, focusing on the red-haired boy. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw an overturned table, and he had to climb over a downed tree to keep on following Bouer without being seen or heard. It struck him that the two of them caused a fair bit of chaos. Whether or not he could remember it, it didn't matter.

He continued onward, approaching the edge of the village, when a hoarse voice suddenly called out at him.

"Link!"

It was Sahasrahla. Link ignored the old man and went forth.

"Link, come here!" the old man whispered again, but Link continued following the red-haired boy. Suddenly, a tree felt in front of his pathway, which only magic could have done.

Accepting the verbal lashing he was about to receive, Link turned around and went to Sahasrahla's hut. The old man was standing in the doorway, grinning.

"Come in, come in," he remarked happily, leaving Link, as usual, further confused. He would have to wait to find out more about Bouer.

The two walked into the hut, where there was a set of mountain cakes and tea awaiting.

"Where have you been all day?" Link asked, breaking the ice as he sat down. The old man was pacing the room, oddly excited but also nervous.

"I was in Drigoor. Link, my lad, you've eased the burden of this old man. I will be able to sleep peacefully at night, knowing the goddesses are truly watching over us," he remarked.

"I don't get it. What happened?" Link replied excitedly at the prospect of him doing something right for once.

"Don't you see? You told queen what I never had the courage to tell her. In two weeks, when Arcadia is celebrating its 50th anniversary, Ambi will announce that she will abdicate. I only wonder whether we can convince Harkinian and his daughter to take over, or whether Aryll will be ruling."

"What does Aryll have to do with this..." Link asked, smiling as he anticipated the old man's response. Sahasrahla clutched his remaining hairs and let out a gleeful laugh.

"Aryll is the queen's daughter. She's royalty!"


	16. The Aftermath

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

After several days, life in Torrhes gradually began to return to normalcy.

Immediately, Link faced the villagers directly and told them he was not himself when he committed his vandalism with Bouer. Some were leery, still suspecting Link for setting the village on fire a few nights prior, but most knew Link and knew he would never do such a thing. Still, he felt obligated to help by repairing the broken fences and overturned decorations for the festival.

On the other hand, few of them knew the boy Bouer. No one in the village seemed to know where he came from or what he was doing, at least excluding Ilia and her family.

Every time Link approached Ilia, she walked away from him. He didn't know her well; perhaps it was because he ignored her while he had obvious feelings toward Malon. But he thought it had something to do with Bouer. Link still never got a clear explanation how he ended up in Ilia's house, or why Bouer left and wandered into the forest.

Despite all of the excitement, between his village activities, pursuing Ilia for answers, maintaining a friendship with Bouer, eagerly awaiting his and preparing for Arcadia's 50th anniversary, most of Link's mental activity was devoted to the revelation about Aryll.

He recently learned she was the illegitimate daughter of Queen Ambi. At first, he found it hard to believe, and nothing Sahasrahla could say helped him believe it was true. The old man gave numerous reasons, first how Ambi and he could never have an honest relationship. The two apparently enjoyed the art of deception; once she convinced him how Ganon fathered a son and daughter before he was killed, but she more often revealed the truth. Ambi also did not want to be a mother, and thus she maintained the guise of being the Virgin Queen of Arcadia.

Link would have found it easier to believe if Aryll was around, but she was mysteriously missing after her boyfriend Ingo died. In the days after she left, he realized he needed her even more.

Ever since the day he couldn't remember, Link had a scar on his right hand that wouldn't heal. Ordinarily, his body healed quickly – unnaturally fast as Kafei would say – but the pain in his hand persisted. This worried him as it began to weigh more and more on him that he was the Hero of Time. How could he fight if his sword hand was injured?

It was bad enough that Sahasrahla had little explanation on how the nepenthe or gaining a blood brother would affect him so severely. It was bad enough that Link no longer had the ability to do magic. He felt he was making progress over a few days with controlling fire. Even Sahasrahla was growing frustrated. He vaguely remembered meeting the goddesses and had a feeling he was being punished, but he couldn't remember why, so he continued as usual.

One week after the day couldn't remember, Link was finishing repairing the last of the damage in Torrhes's church.

"Again, Madam Heraeth, I am sorry for what my friend and I did a week ago."

The priestess let out a grunt, ignoring Link's handiwork in replacing the door hinge. He looked up, hoping for some sort of positive recognition, and spoke again.

"If there's anything else I can do for you, like polish the pews, feed your horse, just let me know."

He never particularly liked the old lady, and he assumed the feeling was mutual, as he never went to worship. However, he was not prepared for her reaction.

"You'd better be careful boy who you associated yourself with," she spoke curtly.

"My friend is just young and confused. He didn't mean any harm, I'm sure," Link replied. He wasn't particularly sure why he was defending Bouer.

"I wasn't talking about the boy. Now please leave this sacred place."

Link began to walk toward the door, annoyed how she was judging his company, but he had to ask a question first that had been gnawing at his curiousity.

"Madam, please, before I go, I have to ask you something."

After she grunted again, he assumed he could continue.

"If the goddesses were to bestow a gift on someone, and then they take it back, how could that person get it back?"

After a moment, the priestess responded, "the goddesses are capricious and benevolent. One must prove worthy of their gifts."

"OK... thanks," Link simply replied, still annoyed she had her back to him. He walked toward the door, trying to imagine what would qualify as worthy for the goddesses. However, his train of thought was disrupted when the door swung open.

"Aryll!" Link shouted, running toward the friendly face.

"Please be quiet in this house of worship," the priestess remarked before turning toward them.

"You!" Heraeth shrieked, pointing at Aryll.

"I am sorry what I did, but it had to be done. Link, let's go," Aryll stated calmly. The two walked out the door, ignoring the curses and damnations emanating from the priestess.

"Where have you been?" Link asked excitedly. "We have to go talk to Sarsa!"

"My father has notified me of the recent developments," she responded, sounding unusually distant.

"You mean…"

"Yes, that my mother wishes to abdicate the throne to me, as she is not the rightful ruler. Where else would I have been for the past few days?"

"I'm sorry, I only thought it had something to do with Ingo."

With those words, the two stopped walking. Link saw a single tear roll down her face, so he looked away and fell quiet. He never saw Aryll cry before.

"No, of course not. It's all procedural mumbo-jumbo about the monarchy."

"But you left before I ran into the queen!"

Another tear rolled down her face. Link panicked, knowing he must have crossed the line. He scratched his head, inadvertently highlighting his bandaged hand to Aryll.

"Link, what happened there? When did you… how did you…"

"It's a long story, and I'm not quite sure what happened, but actually, I'll need your help because of it."

Aryll gave a slight smile, which cheered Link slightly. She must have assumed he got into a real battle.

"I can't really use a sword when I'm injured like this. I was wondering if you could teach me to fight with my left hand? And soon…"

Aryll's slight smile turned into a beaming one. "Of course, boy. But what is the hurry?"

"Well, Sarsa says we can't leave Hyrule to rescue Malon and Kafei until after the ceremony. However, I need to do a quest before we go."

"What sort of quest?" Aryll crossed her arms and looked intrigued.

"I need to go into Talus Cave and get Blue Fire… you know, for the festival."

Link knew what he said sounded ridiculous, but Aryll reassured him.

"Of course, my lad. Such a flame would make this festival unforgettable. But the cave is full of dangerous beasts. It'll be difficult to teach you in a week, but I think I can handle it, if you are."

Link smiled as he eagerly awaited his new training. As the two resumed walking, Aryll became slightly frantic.

"Although, that means I'll have less time to prepare. And with the investigation, who knows if I'll even have time to eat," she rambled. "You wouldn't lie to me, would you?" she asked Link.

"No, of course not," he replied quickly, unsure if he was being set up. "But what do you mean investigation? And preparing?"

"Listen kid, I'm not feeling well. Stop by my place later on, and we'll get started."

She quickly walked away from Link, leaving him alone and confused, as usual.


	17. Training

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

A spurt of cold air reminded Link that his birthday was rapidly approaching. With only six days to go, Link had the feeling of the calm before a storm. For the previous week, he was kept occupied by the random tasks for the townspeople, so after leaving Heraeth he felt uncomfortably unoccupied. With a few hours to spare before visiting Aryll, he decided to walk over to Ilia's house to see Bouer.

Link hadn't seen him much in the previous week. At first he thought it was because the boy was faking being in pain to get out of helping Link (they both had caused a fair share of vandalism in Torrhes), although every time he visited the boy Link could tell his friend was in pain. Initially, Link suspected that Bouer was somehow controlling Ilia and her family, but Sahasrahla shot that theory down - even if they were the son of a mage, no one that young could control another person's mind, let alone three.

He made the walk to Ilia's house, ignoring the bitter cold and a tingly feeling on his back. He turned his head, expecting to see someone following him, but the only thing behind him was his shadow. Hastening his stride, Link quickly arrived at the front door of Ilia's house. He knocked on the door and walked in.

"Hello, anyone around?" he shouted into the darkness of the house. He heard a pair of feet running across the floor and upstairs. _Ilia is avoiding me again_, Link thought. Bouer claimed it was because she had a crush on him that she was avoiding him.

Link walked further into the dark house, looking around to see the ball of orange in the sky setting below the mountains.

"Bouer? You around?" he shouted again, feeling another tingle raising up his back.

"Here I am," Bouer spoke, raising from the couch in the living room and startling Link.

"Don't do that!" Link laughed, walking over to Bouer and jokingly pushing him back down on the couch. "It's bad enough you're conveniently out of commission so you can't help me around town. You don't have to go all creepy on me when I come visit."

"Oh, for you I try and go extra creepy," Bouer responded, joking while holding his head.

"It's still hurting? Why don't you go see Sahasrahla? He knows more than everyone in the village," Link suggested. In truth, he wanted the old man to observe the boy in person. Link still had a feeling Bouer was hiding something.

"No, I'm fine," the red-haired boy replied painfully.

"Well, anyway, I just wanted to let you know that Torrhes is back to normal. All of the damage was caused has been fixed, and I'm the hero again."

"Oh, nice. I'm really sorry I couldn't help you, but I don't really know the people and places, not to mention the headaches. I'll be out of your hair soon enough, though."

"Yea, it was no problem taking care of all of it... wait, you're leaving?"

"Next week, I'm heading back home."

"But how are you going to cross back over the border? Only diplomats and officials can go back and forth, and after the kidnappings on the train Arcadian-Hyrulian relations have never been worse!"

"Link, it's fine. I know people."

"So you're just leaving then, just like that?"

"Yea, I have to go back home."

"For school or something?"

"Yea, something like that."

"Well, before you go, I was wondering if you wanted to go on another adventure, you know one that I could actually remember."

"I wish I could Link, but I'm really not up for it."

Link was concerned. He didn't know Bouer that well, but he could tell the boy was hiding something, and wanted to find out before he left. Link had a bad feeling he knew what it was - that Bouer was the one who set the village on fire - but previously he couldn't bring himself to ask. However, now was as good of a time to ask.

"Hey..." Link started, but Bouer interrupted.

"Link, I gotta tell you something that's been on my mind lately. I think this village is haunted."

It certainly wasn't what Link expected his friend to say to say. At a loss for words, he asked, "what do you mean?"

"That day, when I fell into the river and you saved me, I didn't slip. Something pushed me."

Link felt another tingle rise up his back. "What do you mean something?"

"I'm not sure. There was no one around me, but then I felt this horrible dark presence pushing me into the water."

Link wasn't sure how to feel. He lived in the town all of his life, and never experienced anything like that. "Do you know anything about the village catching fire?" he blurted out.

"No, that happened the night before I came, but it's why I'm starting to think the village is cursed," Bouer replied. _Either he is a great liar, or he is telling the truth_, Link thought.

"Alright then... well I won't hold you, but you should really get that head checked out before you leave."

"See you later Link, thanks," Bouer remarked with a smile. Link didn't say anything and walked out the door.

By then, it was starting to get dark, so Link decided to run toward Aryll's hut, which would only take a minute or two.

Halfway there, he noticed a swirling dark figure in the skies above, causing him to stop running. The figure paused and lunged toward Link.

Instinctively, he held his hand up, trying to perform magic to ward off the figure, but nothing happened.

He turned around and resumed running toward Aryll's, wishing he could somehow go faster as his heart pounded. There was no way he could outrun whatever was chasing him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the shadow surrounding his right side. He swatted his right hand at it, causing whatever it was to retreat. He stopped and looked around, but everything was normal in Torrhes. He glanced at his right hand, aching slightly and still wrapped in cloth from when he gained a blood-brother. He wondered what else Bouer was hiding from him.

Arriving at Aryll's hut, Link knocked with his left hand, intent on using it more.

"Hey Aryll," Link called out as he walked into the hut, enjoying its warmth from the fire in the corner. He saw a bunch of vegetables on the table along with a small knife, but there was no sign of Aryll. While he waited for her, he decided to cut the crops and help prepare dinner. He picked up the knife with his left hand and started cutting a carrot. To his shock, it felt surprisingly natural.

After finishing cutting all of the vegetables, he put them into the pot nestled above the fire. Wanting to try out his left hand even more, Link walked to the back of the hut where Aryll kept her swords. He quickly found found his - or at least, Ingo's - and went through his usual practice routines. For whatever reason, the sword felt foreign in his left hand.

"Come on!" Link shouted in anger, after he was unable to do a proper swing.

"You need a left-handed sword," spoke Aryll, who walked in to witness Link's efforts. "I have one over here, but let's eat first," she continued, patting her hand on her stomach.

"Yea, alright. It looks like we're both hungry," Link laughed, joining Aryll into the main room.

He thought dining with her would be uncomfortable after the recent events - Ingo dieing and Aryll possibly becoming the queen within a week. However, the two had a relaxing meal, with Aryll giving Link plenty of advice that he thought borderlined on motherly. Unlike her father, who dined with wine and got more relaxed as the night went on, Aryll abstained, and thus the conversation gradually got more tense.

"Sometimes you can't put everything on the table. You can't always say what you want and what you're thinking," she remarked, telling Link to be careful when meeting people.

"It's just so frustrating having to hide things from people. I consider Bouer a friend, and it sucks that I can't share anything with him," Link retorted. He kept verbally pushing back, wanting more and more to tell everyone everything.

"I'd watch out for that boy. I get a bad feeling about him."

"He said something odd to me today. Aryll, do you think Torrhes is cursed?"

"Why do you ask that?"

"Well, he claimed that something pushed him into the water - the day that I rescued him. And then... while I was on my way over here... there was a shadowy creature following me, and I think it attacked me."

"I see..."

Aryll paused for a minute, looked down at her lap, and then stared at Link.

"If it wasn't cursed before the fire, it is now," she declared defiantly. "For that matter, do you still want to do your excursion into Talus Cave?"

"Well, I was going to ask you about that. What do you know about it?"

"The cave is mysterious. I've never been in, but Sahasrahla tells me that anything you take in, the cave produces a stronger, darker version. You bring in a rock, it produces a bigger rock that gets in your way. You bring in a sword, it produces an assassin. You must use what you find in the cave."

"So I have to go in alone with nothing then?" Link asked, feeling unsure about what he was planning to do.

"I'm afraid so," Aryll spoke darkly. Link wasn't sure why, but he somehow knew he was supposed to go into the cave to retrieve the blue fire.

"Well, let's get training then. I'll need to train with my bare hands, and I might as well learn swordfighting in case I find a sword in there, and I'll need..."

"OK child, enough talking," Aryll interrupted with a smile and a laugh. "Let's train you to be the Hero I know you're meant to be."


	18. Talus Cave

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, locations, or elements that are found in other Nintendo Zelda games.

* * *

To the contrary of Link's expectations, the days after his meeting with Aryll went very slowly. Each day he practiced hand-to-hand combat, various sword techniques, and everything Aryll thought he should know as Hero of Time. He had the most difficulty with using a sword with his left hand, which was worrisome since since his right hand still bothered him, and he would be left vulnerable. For whatever reason, he could not get the hang of it.

"Link, concentrate. Feel the blade and imagine where it will strike," Aryll kept reminding him, all the while smiling and laughing.

When he wasn't with Aryll, he visited Bouer, who seemed to be getting worse every day. It seemed everyone around town was busy preparing for the festival, and everyone insisted on doing their share of work, so Link couldn't do his typical work around the village. He occasionally talked to Sahasrahla, but the old man seemed unusually busy in the days leading up to Arcadia's 50th anniversary. Link had a feeling it had to do with Queen Ambi, and perhaps he was trying to convince her not to step down. After all, it didn't seem Aryll was any closer to accepting a royal role, and in fact she seemed sick at the idea.

On the day of his venture into Talus Cave, Link woke up unusually early, before the sun rose. Owing to his difficulties in training, he was considering abandoning his quest. However, when he got out of his bed, he noticed a package by the door. He walked over to it and opened it, seeing a big pile of material inside. He couldn't quite make out what it was without any light in the room, though. He tried producing a burst of flame from his hand, to produce light, but like every other morning since the day he couldn't remember, he couldn't reproduce his magic abilities; he was beginning to worry if he'd be able to do it again.

_Thank you Din for reminding me that I've failed you somehow_, he thought bitterly. He found his way to his bed, and pulled out the lantern to the side. Lighting it back up, he walked back over to the package. On the top of the box was a note.

"For our hero, good luck in the cave"

The handwriting didn't look like Aryll's or Sahasrahla's, so Link knew that the secret had gotten out what he was planning to do.

_Great, now I have to do it_, he thought. If the townspeople got a gift it meant he had no choice. He looked into the box and saw a big pile of green, his least favorite color. He felt the material, and was surprised how strong it was.

_I'm good_, Link thought, opting against wearing his new gift.

He walked to the door of his hut and stepped outside, figuring he was ready as he would ever be. After he walked out into the darkness of early morning Torrhes, Link was greeted with a blast of cold air and a dusting of snow on the ground. Cursing whichever of the goddesses were responsible for the weather, he went back inside to find something warmer. He was only wearing his white long-sleeve T-shirt, but that wouldn't be enough in this weather.

Resolving himself to his fate, Link picked up the pile of green material from the box, figuring most of the clothes from the previous winter would no longer fit him. He realized it was a tunic, and was more intricate than he first imagined. He pulled it over his shirt and noticed it had a hood, a sheath for a sword, and consisted of a material that was both very flexible and very durable. He also noticed a pocket on the inner-right side, and putting his hand in it felt a note.

_Happy Birthday Link,_

_I put the magic touches on this garment, so I hope you use it wisely._

_-Sarsa_

Link couldn't believe it was his birthday already. He had been focusing so much on his tasks, being the Hero of Time, and everything around him that it didn't register until now that he was 17 and a legal adult. He could now do what he wanted, and he wanted to make a good impression to the village on such an important day in his life.

After letting it sink in for a moment, he explored the tunic a little more. He had a funny feeling about the inside pocket, and he shoved his hand in there. Instead of reaching an end as would be expected, he could fit his entire arm in the pocket.

Pleasantly surprised by his gift, Link pulled out an old bottle from a box next to his bed, and stuffed it into his pocket. Link walked out the door of his hut and trudged his way across Torrhes. It must have been early in the morning, for no one was outside yet. _Just as well_, Link thought, since he didn't want to run into anyone on the way to the cave. He was already psyching himself more than he should have; Sahasrahla told him it would be as easy as beating a Goron in a swimming race.

He could see the hints of the sun coming up over the eastern mountains, which illuminated the snowflakes falling. To his west, a dark cloud covered the moon. His journey north toward Talus Cave was uneventful, despite all of his expectations to the contrary. The sun was low in the sky as he made it to the entrance, but he knew it was going to be dark. There he was, with no sword or lantern. Feeling slightly stupid, he walked as far as he could until he could no longer see where he was going. His gut feeling was that he should continue, despite every indication that he should turn back. Up to that point, nothing had happened in the cave, and aside from an occasional _drip-drop_, it was silent. He knew he was very vulnerable, not being able to see anything.

Continuing carefully onward, he kept one hand on the cave wall as he ventured deeper. Suddenly he stepped into something that caused him to let out a gasp. He felt around it with his foot, soon figuring that it wasn't something living. He bent down to pick it up, and from the feel of it he could tell it was a lantern. Once it was settled into his hand, a flame magically ignited in the lantern, creating a smile on Link's face.

For the first time, he could properly see, from his bandaged right hand to the cobwebs in the ceiling of the cave. Despite his expectations of a sudden attack, he did not see any keese or skulltulas. Link was beginning to wonder why nothing had happened yet - perhaps it was a joke, and Sarsa and Aryll were looking for an excuse to properly train him?

Arriving at a fork in the cave, he chose the left path, as if something inside of him told him it was the right choice. Sure enough, after curving around the bend, he arrived in a large room that was lit on its own. In each corner was a lantern, and in the center was a glowing cauldron containing what he was looking for - the blue fire. He moved into a defensive position, preparing his arms for an attack, but the room was still eerily quiet.

Undeterred, he walked to the cauldron and pulled out his bottle, feeling as if everything had been too easy. Once he filled his container with the bottle, he put the lid on top and hid it away.

As if on cue, he heard a _swoosh_ing noise. Link turned around and gaped at what he saw - a near duplicate of himself. The figure was wearing a black tunic, and had black hair with a darker complexion.

"Who... wwhat are you?" Link asked, stammering at the dark version of himself. The figure ran toward him and gave him a fierce punch in the stomach, knocking Link down. Remembering the fight he had at Ingo's cabin, he sorely wished he had a sword at that moment, feeling incomplete using his bare hands.

"Wait, why are you doing this?" Link queried in between breaths of pain. A myriad of questions went through his mind as he got up. _Was he a long-lost brother? Just a figment of the cave? Did he have to kill him? _

The figure lunged at Link again, and the two combated in a series of punches and kicks. He got an idea to get the upper hand, and tried forcing his leg under the figure, only it anticipated his move by jumping and landing a few feet away. The figure ran at Link, but he was ready this time by side-stepping and parrying the attack with his right hand. This time, upon touching the dark figure, Link felt a burning sensation, and was distracted as the cloth shriveled away to reveal a black wound in the palm of his hand.

The dark Link stared at it and circled the real Link, as if deciding whether to attack again. Without warning, it vanished into thin air.

"Wait!" Link shouted, running out of the chamber with the lantern. He wanted to continue fighting - it gave him a greater sense of purpose than getting a stupid flame. He only wished he knew what to do, and how to do it. Within minutes, he exited the cave and basked in the light of the sun.

He turned to walk south toward Torrhes, and thought it was much too bright for how low the sun was in the sky. A terror rose within him, thinking there could only be one possible, and he ran as fast as he could.

The village came into view. Torrhes was on fire again.


	19. Rumours

Link watched the smokey clouds arising from Torrhes from the top of the hill. He heard the screams in the distance, and he found it too hard to bear to go around the corner and see his home in flames again.

He was trying to make sense of it all, but thoughts were swirling in his head. _Could I even put out the fire now without proper control of my abilities? How could I control it when I never had much experience to begin with? What if I couldn't put it out this time - would they still trust me?_

Overcome by his own doubts, Link knelt to the ground, his heart racing uncontrollably. He let the wet ground from the melted snow soak his clothes, since he knew the longer he waited, the harder it would be to save the day. He started to sob, looked up to the sky, and yelled to the goddesses:

"Why today? Why on my birthday, this day of celebration would you do this? Din, Nayru, Farore, please help me!"

He felt a swelling of anger rise from inside of him. He pounded his writhing right hand onto the ground, and stood up when he realized he wasn't getting a divine answer. Link marched around the corner and trekked down the hill, gazing at the blazing huts in front of his eyes. A figure ran out of the flames toward Link. For a moment, he thought the person was on fire, but it was only raid hair.

_Bouer..._

Link felt a further surge of anger amidst the cackling flames. His "friend" was finally feeling better on the same day of the fire, and he found it too coincidental that the boy showed up after the first fire.

Once Bouer was close enough to Link, he stopped running toward him. "Where have you been? That guy Rylet burned the food for the festival and now half of Torrhes is in flames."

"You told him to do it then," Link shouted back, more as an observation than a question.

"What are you talking about? You have to save the day again!" Bouer cheered, pulling Link toward the nearest burning building. "Now do your thing with your arms."

Link looked at the boy darkly - there was no way he could have known _how_ he put out the first fire unless he saw it. "I can't do magic, I'm not the hero, I don't know what you're expecting me to do," he shouted again, seconds before the wall of the hut collapsed, striking Bouer. The boy was pinned down, unconscious. Link left him and went deeper into the burning village. _At least he can't escape what he did now_, he thought.

He ran between the blazing buildings, covering his face with his tunic from the smokey air. He tried to find any sort of method to put out the fire. The villagers were bumbling frantically, not taking any notice that the hero had finally arrived. He would have to put out the fires by himself, only there were no buckets to be found. He reached into his tunic for the bottle, reasoning he could just get more of what he obtained in the cave.

After he poured out the blue fire onto the ground, he ran over to the stream for some water, but stopped when he heard a swooshing noise from behind him. Half-expecting to see the shadow creature again, he was surprised when a light rose into the air and expanded toward each of the burning houses. It was almost as if it was attacking the regular fire. The villagers likewise stopped to watch the phenomenon unfolding. One by one, each flaming building settled down as tiny blue embers flickered across the sky, and the villgers erupted into cheers.

"We're saved!"

"It's a miracle!"

"Thank Din."

Link looked around, confused as whether to be annoyed that they weren't thanking him, or if he actually did save the day. He walked mindlessly as the villagers - unperturbed by the fire - continued with their preparations for the evening's festival.

He headed toward Sahasrahla's, figuring he could get some answers with him. Halfway there, he saw Bouer, slightly bruised, who gave Link a look of angst and sadness. Link ignored him, and quickly reached his mentor's hut.

"Sarsa, you around?" Link asked as he opened the hut. He saw both the old man and Aryll sitting in the living room quite calmly, as if they didn't even know there was a fire.

"Oh, you're back Link. You look great in the tunic! How was the cave?" Aryll queried excitedly as she let out a slight giggle. Link looked at her dumbfounded, as he had never heard her laugh in his life. She started getting up out of her chair, as if to give him a hug, but she sank back down after a stern look from Sahasrahla.

"It was good, you know, typical hero's birthday. Climbed a huge tree, slayed some dondongos, escaped the belly of a giant fish," he lied, trying to make himself feel better. The other two people in the room stared at him blankly, forcing him to finish. "I got the stupid fire and risked my life. You could've told me the cave would produce a shadow version of me... and then no one even noticed how I put the second fire in two weeks!" he ranted, feeling unwelcomed and unneeded.

"Link, you..." Aryll started, before her father interrupted.

"Describe the shadow creature," Sahasrahla spoke fearfully.

"I dunno... it was me, just wearing all black clothes," Link responded, annoyed how they didn't care about the fire. "But you wouldn't believe who I saw..."

"Did you defeat it?" the old man asked, almost in a whisper. Link was beginning to grow concerned.

"No, it escaped. You don't think _it_ caused the fire?"

"We are in grave trouble. I haven't felt this for years."

"Father, what do you mean?" Aryll asked before Link had the opportunity to.

"During the Civil War, life across the land was much darker. The days were like eternal twilight. The Arcadian revolutionaries theorized that Ganon was behind it, and for that we nicknamed him the Shadow King. There were stories of people being attacked by their own shadows. I even came across my darker side one day, but I was able to persuade him to leave me alone for a while," the old man spoke. There was a silence in the room until Aryll spoke up.

"Well, Link, at least you weren't killed on your birthday... which reminds me. Be sure you stop by my hut later on. I have something for you."

After feeling dejected and unappreciated earlier, Link began feeling somewhat better after Aryll's words. He noted how odd it was, as normally she is stern and militaristic.

"Quite true. Now Link, would you do us a favor? We were having a meeting when you barged in. Would you mind going down to the market and picking up a loaf of bread for tonight? I want things extra special for when midnight comes around," Sahasrahla asked, signaling for Link to leave, before handing him money. "Here's 30 rupees, that should be enough."

Link quickly left the hut, his feelings once again reverting toward unappreciation. He quickly reached the market as he deliberately avoided talking to anyone.

Large stands of varying goods were on opposite sides of the small building. While searching for a decent loaf of bread, Link was distracted by the villagers' gossip, all of which seemed very plausible.

"I hear the queen is going to visit Torrhes tonight, what with it being the birthplace of our nation."

"Maybe it's because of the fire today. You know, my sister swears she saw a shadowy creature attack Rylet, and that's what caused the fire. Maybe she wanted to make sure everything was alright."

"You're wrong. I heard that blacksmith woman is actually her daughter, and the queen is going to reveal it tonight."

"No, it's that blacksmith's father, Sahasrahla, is why she's coming. Surely you must have noticed how often the queen visits him. Quite the ladies' man in his old age, what with that Hyrulian senator as well."

Link had difficulty refraining himself at all of the remarks, wondering how everyone could know so much about what was going on when he only found out so recently. It must have been someone who was good at finding secrets and letting them out. The first person he thought to fit the description was Bouer.

He picked the loaf of bread closest to him and promptly paid for it, trying to avoid hearing any further gossip. As he walked out of the building, he walked into someone in his haste.

"Oh, hello Link. Happy birthday," spoke a female voice. Link looked up to see Ilia, free from her house and not running away from him.

"You're talking to me now?" Link asked, glad someone other than Aryll and Sarsa noticed.

"Listen, we can't talk here. Meet me behind the church when the sun goes down. It's about your friend," she whispered, walking past him into the market.

"Alright," Link affirmed, excited he could finally get more details on the strange red-haired boy.

He couldn't quite pointpoint what was going through his head. He was now legally an adult, but that only mattered for traveling abroad, which was slightly infeasible at the moment due to the recent skirmishes between Hyrule and Arcadia. He was growing tired of the drama involving Sahasrahla and Aryll, and wished he could escape, find Malon and Kafei, and go on the adventure worthy of a hero. He was annoyed that his birthday was always overshadowed by Arcadia's independence. It mirrored his greater discontent with his life. Since the first fire two weeks prior, he was getting used to the taste of action, but life in Torrhes wasn't enough.

_That's it, then_, Link decided - he would be leaving for Hyrule at once. He wouldn't even tell Sarsa, Aryll, or even Ilia or Bouer. He thought it best he leave while everyone is distracted.

Link made his way to his hut, making a mental checklist of what to bring. When he opened the door, someone was inside, as if ready to stop him.

"Hello Hero. I came, for I could tell you needed some reassurance. Although I cannot control your actions, I suggest you wait until tomorrow to leave, for you will not want to miss what will happen tonight," spoke a blue-haired woman. Link was being advised by Nayru, the goddess of wisdom.


	20. Preparations for the Festival

"What's happening tonight?" Link asked instinctively to Nayru.

"Nothing which you cannot prevent," the goddess responded tonelessly. This worried Link slightly, but he didn't care. He just wanted to leave.

"Well, if I can't prevent it, then there's no point in me staying."

"Are you at least going to give the loaf of bread to Sahasrahla? That would be stealing if you didn't." Link instinctively reached toward the magic pocket in his tunic, where he had automatically placed it.

"It's for my travels. Anyway, stop trying to stop me. I just want to leave."

"It's about your father."

"What?" Link's heart dropped as he stared at the goddess. He was momentarily distracted by a knocking at the door, and when he looked back around, the goddess was gone.

"Come back later," Link shouted at whomever scared away the goddess. "Please come back, I need more guidance!" Link added, making a mental note how poorly he treated a goddess. He wanted to know more about his father, but someone kept knocking at the door.

"Ugh, come in, fine," Link again shouted at the person at the door, knowing it wouldn't be that easy to leave.

"Hey man, great save earlier," spoke Bouer as he walked into his hut.

"What do you want?" Link asked impatiently. He wasn't in the mood to see the boy.

"Should I come back or something?"

Link collected himself, trying to keep his emotions under control. "No, it's fine. What's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know I'm leaving town after tonight. I'm heading back to Hyrule."

"Tell me, do you know people in Hyrule? People who have connections?"

"Yea, I know people. Why?"

Link thought it was foolish to try and find Malon and Kafei without having any assistance traversing a foreign country. As much as his gut instinct told him not to trust the boy, Link felt it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. As he was contemplating his options, his mind kept itching that there was something he didn't know about his family. He really just wanted to leave Torrhes then and there, but he had to be strategic.

"I'd like to go with you, if that's alright," Link finally spoke. After a moment of silence in which Bouer stared at him, he continued. "I know it's dangerous, and I'm not that equipped in traveling, but it could be fun!"

"That's a brilliant idea, of course you can come along," Bouer replied happily yet surprised. Link wasn't sure what happened, but he felt significantly better. He didn't want to ruin the moment by asking what deep secret he was hiding. As his friend wasn't leaving until that evening, Link had a reason to stay in town until the evening, which fulfilled the request from the goddess.

"Alright, well I gotta pack up. I'll catch up with you later at the festival," Link remarked.

"Oh, before we do, I thought I should tell you something," Bouer responded.

_This is it_, Link thought.

"I wanted you to know that ever since I met her, Ilia has been talking constantly about you. She really likes you," the boy finished. Link gaped, uncertain how to take the news.

"Thanks for letting me know, I guess," Link laughed uncomfortably as Bouer walked out the door. He had never thought of Ilia in that sort of light. She always seemed like a quiet, boring girl. He felt bad that he never noticed.

After Bouer left, Link closed the door behind him and began making a mental checklist of what he needed for his journey.

"You get distracted easily."

Link turned around and saw Nayru again sitting on his bed. "Oh, you're back. Well, I decided to stay until tonight as you asked."

"I know," responded the goddess. Link wasn't sure if he liked Nayru. She wasn't nearly as fun as Din was.

"So, what do you want then?" Link asked.

"I am a goddess. Do not speak to me that way," responded the deity, again tonelessly. "Do you not wish to know anything from me?"

"Not really. Unless you're going to tell me more about my father or tonight."

He watched as the goddess became frustrated, with her blue eyes highlighting her scrunched-up face.

"I know your entire fate, and you don't want my help?" Nayru spoke, showing hints of annoyance.

"No, I like walking into the battle blindfolded," Link joked, having fun at the goddess's expense. He was in quite a good mood, but couldn't pinpoint why.

"You are excited at the prospect of going to Hyrule. It's your destiny."

"It is, is it?"

"You are the Hero for all of Hyrule, both past and future. You are the Hero of Time."

"So that's expected of me, then?"

"That is correct."

"Well, whatever happens will happen. Hyrule and Arcadia are two separate countries, everyone is happy, things are peaceful. My only immediate plan is to rescue my friends via another friend."

"Interesting that you call him your friend."

"Who? Bouer or Kafei?"

"The one who will betray you."

Link paused a minute. He thought automatically she was talking about Bouer, but it had been so long since he had hung out with Kafei. He still had no idea why his friend was on the train that one night, and Link hadn't yet forgiven Kafei for asking Malon out.

While he was deep in thought, the goddess disappeared again. "Oh, come on! OK, I want your help now, I was only kidding before," Link shouted in his room, to no one evidently.

In his annoyance for passing up the chance to talk to a goddess, Link walked aimlessly around his room, preparing himself for leaving. He started by stuffing various tools into the magic pocket in his tunic. He easily fit everything in, and he proceeded to add several changes of clothes. It began to dawn on him that he had no idea how long he would be gone.

As he would be staying until the evening, he decided to go back to Sahasrahla's house after he finished packing.

The villagers continued bumbling about, preparing for the festival. As he walked outside, he couldn't help but feel worse than when he was in his hut. The clouds looked as if there was going to be a storm later on, which created shadows across the valley which Torrhes lay in.

Shaking off the biting cold across his back, Link quickened his pace to a jog and reached Sahasrahla's in moments. He knocked at the door, looking forward to spending what remaining time he had in the village with his mentor and his daughter. The old man opened the door, and after the two entered, Link noticed they were alone.

"Aryll went back to her hut. She wasn't feeling well," Sahasrahla spoke to Link's unanswered question.

"Oh. Well, that doesn't mean we can't hang out," Link replied.

"You want to be with a 74 year-old man on your birthday?" the old man laughed. It dawned to Link the ridiculousness of his comment. He was ready to leave the village as soon as possible, if only for the opportunity to converse with people his own age, as opposed to people decades his senior or several years younger.

"Well, I wouldn't mind another story from you. Or maybe a magic lesson? I think I can control my powers again," Link rambled, trying to come up with an excuse to stay there without making it obvious he was leaving soon.

"Link, I appreciate what you are doing," Sahasrahla started, letting out a deep breath. "...but I won't be around here much longer."

"No, don't talk like that!" Link shouted. He didn't want to hear of his mentor's impending death on his birthday.

"I think you misunderstood me. I am as fit as a deku tree. You see... I feel like I have to leave the village."

"Wait a minute..." Link started, but the old man interrupted.

"Let me finish. People know what I did. I don't know how, but secrets get out, and now I don't feel I'm wanted anymore in this village. Perhaps not even in this nation."

"So, they know that you lied about Ambi being the rightful ruler?"

"They know about Aryll being the queen's child."

"But why does that matter?"

"My lad, don't you remember from your schooling? Ambi was supposed to be a virtuous queen. She was supposed to be better than the rest of us, a guiding light in the times of darkness. She wasn't supposed to have had a family. The country was her family..." the old man wandered off.

Both of them were still standing just inside the doorway. Link felt that the old man needed to vent his frustration, not being able to maintain a secret after 50 years. He stayed standing as the old man walked over and sat in the plush purple chair.

"Well, why does this mean you have to leave?" Link asked, breaking the silence.

"Too many people have seen Ambi and I visit each other. This will spread like wildfire and destroy both of our legacies. My only option is to leave Arcadia."

Link wasn't sure whether Sahasrahla knew he was planning leaving that evening, and this was his way of joining him, or whether the old man truly felt he had to leave. If it was the latter, he didn't know what to think. At least Bouer and Sahasrahla had a compelling reason to leave; he was merely bored and wanted adventure.

"Well... I was... kinda... planning on leaving with Bouer tonight after the festival started. He agreed to let me come along with him, you know, so I could get into Hyrule and find Malon and Kafei," Link blurted out, trying to say everything before the old man could respond.

"That's brilliant!" Sahasrahla laughed. "Let me come with you. This old heart needs a break from these people."

"Alright, we'll leave after the fireworks go off," Link responded, joining in the laughter. He wasn't sure how the old man would hold he and Bouer down, but it would be fun to have a companion for someone who knew the world.

"I have so much to do, it's been too long..." the old man muttered. Link walked out the door, leaving him to his packing.

He knew he would have to break the news to Aryll that they were leaving. He didn't want to leave her without her knowing. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something seemed different with her since Ingo died.

The clouds were increasing to the west as the sun was lowering in the sky. He could feel the shadows crawling across the landscape as he walked toward Aryll's, and, as with before, he ran the remaining distance to get back inside as soon as possible. Feeling a tingly feeling at his back, Link opened the door of Aryll's hut without knocking.

He was ready to explain how the three of them were leaving that evening after the festival, but his train of thought broke when he saw both Queen Ambi and Aryll sitting in the living room.

"Hello Link. Are you here to visit the princess?" asked Ambi, speaking of her daughter Aryll who didn't resemble a princess in the slightest.


	21. Arcadia's 50th Anniversary Festival

"Err, hello your majesty, hello your princessship," Link addressed the two ladies, trying not to laugh at Aryll's title. He couldn't imagine in the least her in a pink dress with a tiara and peachy earrings. Aryll was always more of a boots, jeans, redshirt, messed-up hair girl in Link's mind.

"Good afternoon Link," responded the queen enthusiastically with a bright smile.

"'Lo," chimed in Aryll, who sounded, and looked, rather uneasy.

"Can we help you child?" asked Ambi. Link was annoyed at being called a child on his 17th birthday.

"Oh..." Link started. He wasn't sure how to break the news to Aryll, particularly when she appeared to be in a poor mood. He decided to blurt it all out at once. "I just wanted to tell Aryll that Sarsa and I are leaving town tonight after the festival with Bouer and that we're going to Hyrule to rescue Malon and Kafei and go on an adventure to get out of this backwards country and find meaning in our lives... no offense your majesty," he added at the end when he shamefully realized who he was speaking to.

Whatever reaction he expected, he didn't receive. The queen sat with her mouth open, whereas Aryll smiled and perked up.

"Mother, let me speak to this boy for his indignation. I shall take him to the back room so you will not be bothered by his unkind words," Aryll spoke to Queen Ambi while giving Link a wink. Without saying any further words, the two walked to the back room where Aryll did her swordmaking.

"What was that about?" Link whispered excitedly.

"Let me go with you," Aryll replied simply. After she saw the look of confusion on Link's face, she continued. "I can't do it, I can't run this country. My mother expects to name me as her successor to the throne tonight. Her previous successor passed away a month ago, and she thought she could just thrust me into everything. I can't, no I won't."

"But who will rule Arcadia if she... well..."

"...dies? I don't care. I'd love to have more responsibility in this world, but not in the world of government. Endless treaties, eternal skirmishes. You should have seen the documents they had on the relationship between Arcadia and Hyrule. If they launch an all-out attack, we're done for. You wouldn't believe how they've been lying to you for years in school. Oh, how I wish she would've just stayed out of my life. No, I'm leaving with you tonight."

Link smiled. For the first time in weeks, Aryll seemed like herself - powerful, self-reliant, and confident. "Great!" Link shouted out.

"Is everything all right in there?" asked Queen Ambi, who pulled the curtains back to enter the back room. Link shot a worried look at Aryll.

"I was just showing Link his birthday gift. Despite his ingratitude, he is still my friend," Aryll said as she walked to the side of the room. She pulled out a large sword, and continued speaking. "It's no Master Sword, but it should work great with your left hand."

"Wow, thanks!" Link remarked, unsure whether the sword was indeed for him, or whether she was trying to maintain her dignity in front of her mother.

"Oh, you are left-handed?" asked the queen, who was admiring her daughter's workmanship.

"Err..." Link started, but Aryll interrupted.

"Yes," Aryll spoke simply. "Now I'm sure Link has better things to be doing with his time than spending his birthday with two old ladies. He probably has to finish packing so he can leave."

"You're letting him leave?" queried Ambi.

"He's an adult now, he can do as he pleases," responded Aryll. Link could sense a tense standoff between the two, and he wanted nothing more than to leave before the queen realized her daughter wouldn't be her successor. He carefully walked around the two of them and made his way toward the door.

"But, but he's our hero!"

"No, he's the world's hero, mother."

"How can you let him go like that? He could be a military leader with that courage of his."

Link heard the two bickering further as he walked out the door unnoticed. As he walked, he put the sword in the magic pocket of his tunic. He was impressed, as it seemed no matter how much he put in there it wouldn't weigh any more.

It was getting late in the day, and feeling hungry, he headed to the center of the village where the feast was about to begin. He quickly learned that no food was lost during the fire, to his pleasure. He grabbed a plate of broiled cucco and corn and sat at a table near the church. There weren't many people around, which was good. The last thing Link wanted to do was say goodbye to everyone in the village.

After helping himself to additonal piles of food, he was suitably full. By then, the tables had started to fill up, but fortuitously no one had joined his. It was almost as if everyone was ignoring him deliberately, as if some sort of plan was happening. His mind wandered as he sat, and he suddenly remembered that Nayru's prophesy would be happening shortly.

Perhaps it was because his mind was deep in concentration, trying to imagine how his deceased father would have anything to do with that evening's events, that he completely missed the commotion of Queen Ambi and Aryll joining the festivities. By the time he looked up, the two women were walking toward his table. He didn't want to get between the two again, so he deliberately looked away from them. He saw the other villagers whispering to each other, surely about the queen appearing in public with her illegitimate daughter.

Before they had a chance to sit down, Link heard someone call out his name.

"Over here!"

Link turned around and saw Ilia behind the church. He had completely forgotten about their planned meeting, and he was torn about hearing any further information about his future travel companion. He was tempted to ignore her, but not wanting to offend the Arcadian head of state, he walked away from the table and joined her.

"Hey, what's going on?" Link asked Ilia once they were just out of view. Instead of responding, Ilia pushed up against the church wall.

"What was that for?" Link started asking angrily, but she put her hand over his mouth.

"I can't let that boy take you away from me," Ilia whispered seductively. "I saw how distraught you were when Kafei and Malon began their relationship. I know how you felt about her, but she's gone now."

Link was in such a state of shock that he couldn't interrupt her. He never thought of Ilia in that light, although Bouer had warned him of it.

"I think I should get back to the festival," Link remarked, but Ilia put her hands around Link's with unusual strength.

"Let's dance as the sun goes down," she insisted before starting to hum a peaceful tune.

Link wasn't sure why, but he suddenly had the urge to join Ilia in dancing.

_Have I been missing something that's been right in front of my eyes this whole time?_ he thought as the two embraced and waltzed behind the church. The two stayed out of view of the villagers and continued as the great ball of fire in the sky set below the mountains.

"I know you're leaving, but I want you to come back and visit me someday," Ilia spoke after her song stopped.

Link suddenly felt anxious again, with the shadows cast by the mountains putting a damper on his spirit.

"How do you know I'm leaving?" he asked, wondering how she knew what he only decided earlier that day. In her silence, he heard a clamour of applause from the villagers before Queen Ambi began speaking about the country's 50 years of nationhood.

"After I saw you earlier at the market, everyone was talking about you when you left. It's only natural for you to leave. Everyone suspects you're in league with the Hyrulian traitors, what with your name," she added at the end.

Link's face flushed at that. It sounded as if she wanted him to leave. "Everyone, including you?" he asked. She fell silent again and closed her eyes. The queen's speech had moved onto national defense and a stabilizing future.

Ilia had a concerned look on her face, and she shook her head vigorously.

"Are you alright?" Link wondered. He was starting to imagine this was some sort of trick of hers to annoy him before he left, perhaps because he never got to know her that well.

"Link, Link!" Ilia spoke urgently. "Bouer can control people with his words, that's how he could stay with my family. He's dangerous. He leaves randomly and holds his head and..." she stopped, before smiling and throwing her hair back. "...it's nothing for you to worry about. All I mean is that he's persuasive."

"Right..." Link responded, unsure what just happened before his eyes. He could hear the queen talking about her successor, and about how she did have a family she chose to keep hidden from the public eye. Eventually, he replied to Ilia. "Listen, I should get back to the festival."

"Can I get a hug first, for old time's sake?"

"Alright," Link resigned, eager to get away from her.

As they embraced, he saw a shadow racing across the landscape, just as the queen announced Aryll as her successor. Everything went in slow motion as it dawned on him what was happening.

He pulled out his sword, but he was too slow as he ran away from the church back to the festival. The shadow was gliding directly toward the queen and at the last second coalesced into a dark version of him. People screamed, but no one reacted fast enough.

Link watched as the shadow surrounded the queen, unleashing a hair-raising shriek. Aryll was pushed to the ground. Link ran as fast as he could, but by the time he reached Ambi the cloud of smoke disappeared, leaving the queen white as stone and laying head down on the table.

There was silence after the dust settled. There were enough lanterns lit for people to see Link standing directly behind the body with a sword in his hand.

"He killed the queen!"


	22. The Escape

Queen Ambi, the ruler of Arcadia, had just been slain and was laying limp in her chair.

"Uh-oh," Link muttered. After the words left his mouth, he could no longer hear anything, for hundreds of people let out screams of terror.

"Burn him!"

Link's mind was numb. Surely they didn't think he killed the queen? He stared at the growing crowd advancing toward him. His first move was helping Aryll to her feet, who was knocked down by the shadowy version of himself. _Where is Sarsa_, he wondered frantically.

"Kill her too, she's part of it!"

Link and Aryll looked at each other with a grave sense of panic.

"I didn't do it, I swear!" Link shouted, trying to abate the crowd's growing fury. Dozens of people were advancing toward them in slow-motion, picking up knives and chairs with bloodlust. It was as if they cared more about punishing them than grieving over the loss of their queen.

"Hold tight," Aryll uttered as she clutched Link's hand. With a grimace of unwillingness, she threw something onto the ground with a _SNAP_ that created a cloud of smoke.

After the dust settled, Link noticed he was in Sahasrahla's hut. "Aryll, how did we..." he uttered, but he was cut short.

"Link, later. Soon the entire nation will be after us, thinking we were involved with killing my mother."

Link felt a complete sense of helplessness as Aryll packed various odds and ends. Moments later Sahasrahla joined them from the back room of the hut, followed by a panicked Bouer.

"What were you..." Link started, but again was interrupted.

"We can't take Skyloft Pass to get to Hyrule. The entire village is arming themselves as we speak," spoke Sahasrahla gravely. "And you," looking at Aryll, "have effectively convinced everyone that Link was behind the attack."

"There was no other way," Aryll replied simply and militaristically.

"Look," remarked Bouer, who spoke up for the first time by pointing out the window.

Link didn't have to look to know the crowds were approaching. He knew how short-tempered and simple-minded the villagers were, and his heart pulsed impatiently at how little time he had left before they found him.

A gunshot went off, which briefly disrupted Aryll and Sahasrahla's last-second packing. Link couldn't imagine how they were planning to escape when there were hundreds of people after them... _or just him_.

"Let me give myself up. I don't want you to be in danger. They only think I did it..." Link rambled, not wanting to put his companions in danger. He caught an expression on Bouer's face that was a mix between shock and joy, but both were distracted when Aryll clanged a large metal lantern on the kitchen table.

"Let's go, we're done," Aryll said as if completely ignoring what Link just spoke.

"But... how... where?" Link stammered, wondering what the plan was. The others were a step ahead of him, walking toward the back room of Sahasrahla's hut.

"They're coming, we can't just hide!" Link exclaimed, but Aryll put her fingers to her lips and gave a prompt "shhh!"

He worriedly followed the three of them into the back of the hut, unable to imagine what they would do in a bedroom. However, instead of barricading themselves inside, Link saw Bouer and Sahasrahla pushing the bed to the side of the hut. Now more interested in what was happening inside than outside, Link watched in excitement as they pulled the floorboards away to reveal a set of stairs.

"Hurry up. Aryll, you first," Sahasrahla remarked as he let his daughter descend first with the lantern.

Link soon followed, carefully walking step after step into the stone-carved passageway. It was barely wider than the width of his shoulders, and if he was any taller he'd have to crouch for the entire length. The walls were cut smoothly, too much to have been done so by hand. Apart from the light ahead of him it was completely dark, and he had no idea where he was going. He walked slowly, hearing two pairs of footsteps behind him. All he knew was that he felt safe in his company

After several minutes of silence, Link felt the passageway begin to ascend as it diverged from its previously straight alignment.

"Where are we going?" Link finally asked, after he felt a change in the air that he guessed meant they were close to being outside.

"This leads to the top of the hill. It's how the senator and I escaped during that fire," called Sahasrahla from behind.

"And how mother came to visit you," giggled Aryll from the front.

"It's pretty cool," added Bouer. Link had forgotten he was there.

Eventually, the passageway opened up slowly to reveal a large chamber. It wasn't as precisely cut as the stone-passageway, suggesting it was a natural cave. The air was noticeably colder.

"I'll check outside," Aryll commented as Sahasrahla paced the room. She walked onward to the edge of the cave and put her hands on a rock formation and pushed it aside to reveal the outside. Link walked to join her, but Sahasrahla pulled him back and shook his head. From where he was, he could see it was completely dark outside.

Aryll quickly returned and pulled the rocks back in front of the entrance. "They set the church on fire, and so many of them are roaming the streets. If I didn't know better, I'd say there were more people there than the population of Torrhes."

"Military reinforcements. That settles it then, we can't take Skyloft Pass," Sahasrahla commented with a sigh.

"Why not?" Link asked curiously, but to his surprise Bouer spoke up.

"It's the closest link from here to Hyrule. They probably have that entire corridor patrolled."

"That makes our escape a little more tricky," Aryll commented as she sat down her own bag. Much like the magic pocket in Link's tunic, it appeared to carry much more than it should have. She pulled out several pillows, sheets, and blankets and placed them across the room, with everyone still standing uncomfortably.

"We'll have to enter Hyrule through Zora Domain, then," remarked Bouer, as if it was the most obvious solution.

Sahasrahla gave a hearty laugh as he sat down on one of the blankets. "My boy, we would have to either go through Drigoor, which would get us killed, or hike through the highest mountain peaks of Arcadia, which would take weeks and only get us killed later."

Link was trying to keep up, but so much had happened that he was having difficulty. He joined the old man by sitting on one of the blankets, and tried getting some sense of what was happening.

"Is there any chance that Ambi wasn't killed?" Link asked, trying to bring the conversation to what occurred only an hour prior. Nobody looked at him. It was clear Sahasrahla and Aryll were deep in thought, as they had their heads down. Bouer, meanwhile, was laying down with his hands behind his head.

"I'm sorry I got your mother killed," Link spoke again with pangs of guilt, attempting to get Aryll's attention. As if he broke the connection that she and her father were having, she looked at him with great despair.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, that shadow, _my_ shadow, came from Talus Cave. I... I couldn't defeat it. And when it rushed toward you, I tried stopping it but I couldn't," Link responded, shuddering with the thought of seeing his shadow attack.

"You didn't defeat the demon?" Aryll replied, breathing heavily. "First Ingo, then my mother. Watch out Link. With a move that stupid, you'd be lucky if you weren't next!"

There was a tense silence following that remark. Link had never caused Aryll to yell at him like that, and for the third time that day he feared for his own life.

"I think we should follow Bouer's lead and go to bed. We'll settle this in the morning," Sahasrahla commented.

Bouer was sprawled out comfortably on the stone-cold floor. Link laid down next to him, trying to avoid looking at Aryll as she pulled her blanket to the far side of the cave. When everyone was quiet and laying, Sahasrahla put the lamp out, and Link quickly fell asleep.

He dreamed of swimming in a large sea, of Malon being tortured somewhere, and finally him sitting in a prison cell.

_"I didn't do it," Link muttered miserably. _

_"Didn't you?" asked a blue-haired girl sitting next to him. _

_"Nayru?" Link asked, now in control of his dream._

_"I had to talk to you in person again." _

_"Why did you make me stay for that? What did that have to do with my father?" _

_"This was a series of events set in motion that you were supposed to observe. What I said was the most effective way in countering your impatience."_

_"So this has nothing to do with my father?" _

_"No, I'm afraid not. This is a chain of events that is fixing past mistakes." _

_"Urggggh, leave me alone then," Link called out miserably, but there was no one else in the cell with him. _


	23. Help from a friend

Was it only a nightmare? Just a dream?

Link kept his eyes closed, hoping that he would wake up in his hut, and that Kafei and Malon would be nearby to go through some adventure.

He opened up his one eye, and dejectedly saw that he was still in the cave. Everything that happened in the previous day must have happened. As he gazed across the room, he saw Bouer and Sahasrahla, both sleeping peacefully. If he had to guess, Aryll would be sleeping outside of the cave, keeping watch and protecting those inside.

Link quietly arose and trotted across the cave, and sure enough he saw Aryll sleeping just outside the cave entrance. It was nearly dawn, a warm glow illuminating the valleys below him. People were still carrying torches and swords. Life would not be the same anytime soon. If only he could make things better, perhaps by convincing everyone that it was the shadow creatures.

As soon as he thought of it, Link realized how stupid it sounded in his head. If he had only seen the shadow creatures twice in the previous two weeks, he doubted that the philistine citizens would have enough of an open mind. No, it was all his fault that everyone below him was in such a state of frenzy. It felt like forever ago that he was in Talus Cave. If only he had defeated the shadow, he'd have a much easier time accomplishing his true goal of rescuing Malon and Kafei.

_Damn the goddesses_, he thought. He'd love if his path was clearer and simpler, but instead it was riddled and in perpetual change. Link looked out at the Arcadian landscape. He could see Drigoor closely from where he was, and for whatever reason, he felt he had to go down into the city before he and his company attempted the passage out of Arcadia. Despite his misgivings, it was his quiet courage that let him walk away from the cave and down the mountainside. Either he would end up in the hands of the mob (thereby taking the heat off his companions), or he would find some way to get his friends safe passage to Zora Domain and onward to Hyrule.

In the early light of morning, Link carefully zigzagged down the mountainside. He still had slight difficulties using his right hand, after his bandaged appendage encountered the shadow creature, so he relied on his left to shuffle down the rocks. When he made it to the bottom, he was on the outskirts of Drigoor, and it was just after dawn. He waited behind a rock as an angry mob ran past him. He listened for their chants:

"We are Arcadians, we live for the gods! Let's find the traitor and toss him away!"

Link was somewhat relieved that his fellow citizens wouldn't kill him, at least immediately. He wasn't sure whether to find comfort in that, but regardless, he walked boldly into Torrhes, his hood up covering his face. He tried not to imagine how Sarsa and company would react at his disappearance.

The market was quiet, understandably so. Link looked up ever so briefly at the vendors, and all shared the same reaction: fear. Link sensed an obvious tinge of sadness that Queen Ambi was gone, but everyone he dared to look out seemed to share the same sense of wondering: _Why? How?_

Link pressed his luck and continued onward, deciding to seek out some offensive supplies. He casually strolled to the bomb shop, which was the first store in the market on his right.

He opened the door and kept his hood hiding his eyes. It was well-known in Arcadia that ordinary people stayed away from bomb shops. Only curious people enjoyed the art of blowing things apart, which made Link feel somewhat safe. He walked up to the vendor, who looked as if he woke up ten minutes before. Link grabbed the rupees from his magical pocket and spoke:

"I want a bomb bag, and I hope there will be no questions." He tried to speak threateningly, but he couldn't help feel that it came across as lame. Nevertheless, the vendor was content to do business, and called out to his assistant:

"Bring out a bomb bag and handle this customer! I need some tea ya frit!"

Neither knowing nor caring what a frit was, Link waited for the person to bring out the bomb bag. To his utmost surprise, he saw a familiar-looking girl walk out with a bag in her hand, looking back at her boss with utmost disgust.

"Nabooru!" Link gasped without thinking. The Gerudo girl casually stood there, a grin growing on her face.

"Dees is too good. Dey say you killed deh queen, but I knows you better. I just deedn't think you were dat stupid to stroll into town like dis!" Nabooru exclaimed quietly, evidently over with her earlier disgust.

"Listen, I'll be out of your collective hairs as soon as I can cross the border. I swear I didn't kill the queen. I'm just here to get some supplies to help my friends," Link replied.

There was an awkward exchange in glances between the two. Link desperately hoped that the girl wouldn't open her mouth. He didn't need any trouble.

"Eend why should I help deh heeero?" Nabooru asked. Link had hoped that their brief meeting in the church would have counted for something.

"I just… need you to trust me. I didn't do anything. I'm going to find the people who did all of the bad things here in Arcadia! I just need the bomb bag." Link responded quietly.

"So… you need dees bombs, and I need something as well," Nabooru started, before she was interrupted.

"Are you done yet? You can just close up shop if you are," shouted a voice from the back of the counter. The scowl returned to her face.

"I'm not sure how much I can help… what's wrong?" Link asked. Nabooru instinctively reached for her arm.

"Nedermind about dat. Tell me what da 'hero' is doeeng here," she retorted, making air quotations when saying hero.

"Listen, not everything is how it seems here. Something big is happening between Arcadia and Hyrule, and I'm trying to figure it all out with my friends. Either you can stay in the way or you can help," Link uttered, trying to finish the transaction before things got out of hand.

"Then eet is settled. I will come weeth you. 'Ere is your bomb bag," she said, thrusting the bag into his hands without taking the rupees. Nabooru climbed over the counter and ushered Link out of the shop. He didn't dare saying anything as he kept his head down, but it seemed that he got lucky again.

The two exited the building, and Link was nervous when he saw how many more people there were marching around. The less attention, the better.

"Don't be such a statue, you look like een eediot," Nabooru giggled as she grasped his hand. Link was taken aback at first, but then understood her move after two people walked by and avoided their gaze.

"I wouldn't mind some action after last night, even if it's from one of them," uttered the passerby to his companion. Link recalled the advice from Sahasrahla to stay away from Gerudos. He flushed, hoping he'd never have to explain to Malon that he escaped capture by pretending he was with a Gerudan prostitute.

Nabooru let go of Link's hand and moved to rub his back as they walked out of the market, soothing his aches. He lifted his head up in enjoyment and momentarily forgot what he was doing. Nabooru swiftly moved around to his front and covered his face.

"Do you want to get keeled?" she whispered. She moved in and kissed Link's blushing cheeks. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man with a pitchfork smiling. Link wasn't used to this sort of espionage.

"No, of course not honey," Link chuckled back, pushing his luck. He couldn't believe how natural it was standing next to a girl he barely knew. The two slowly walked over to the large rock that led to the passageway to the cave. There was a momentary lapse in the crowd, so the two carefully slid out of view.

"You are lucky. Everyone in deh whole country is lookin' for you."

"What about my companions?"

"How deh queen's daughter ees a Shiekah and was going for a power grab, and the father was behind it all? It ees ridiculous! He was a good man! He gave me a funny triangle-shaped rock. At least everyone in dis world eesn't against my kind."

"Wait, wait… was there anything about a boy?"

"I do not need to know who you are weeth unless I am going too."

"OK then, what is the plan?" Link asked his companion. He heard all he wanted to hear. It wouldn't be easy for both of them to trek up the mountain without being seen.

"What do you mean? You're supposed to be deh hero!" Nabooru exclaimed, looking around nervously. Suddenly, Link realized just how vulnerable he was, and how stupid he was for dragging someone else into his problems.

"Listen, thanks for the bombs, but you can't come with me. It's too dangerous," Link told her calmly. He could tell that she was a little too eager to leave, so he added, "as for your boss at the bomb shop, just stand up to him. You're a brilliant, strong woman, and I'm sure could easily handle him." Nabooru let out a smile and hugged him. She may have been a mysterious Gerudo he barely knew, but Link felt he could trust her. "Could you do me one last favor?"

"You want me to make a beeg distraction?" she asked, smiling tentatively. It appeared that she really wanted to leave Arcadia.

"That would be amazing help, and I'd be sure to return the favor one day," Link replied with a smile. Nabooru stepped from behind the rock and started walking in the direction away from the market.

"I THINK I SAW HEEM! HE IS GOIN' TO TORRHES!" she screamed, and sure enough, a group of seven angry people ran in the direction of Link's hometown. He gave her a thumbs-up and crept up the passageway toward the cave. After all of his adventures in the previous days, he was surprised how strenuous on his body it was climbing the hill. A light fog blanketed the mountain as he ascended further.

He knew he'd have to deal with the verbal lashing of his companions for leaving, and sure enough, Aryll was waiting outside, her head shaking and her arms folded across.

"Listen…" Link started with a heavy tone. He didn't want to be treated like a child anymore. "I obtained some information. They only know about you and Sarsa joining me, but I had a friend who directed the attention back toward Torrhes."

"I see…" Aryll replied with an uneasy look on her face. She must have been ill, as she never talked that little when Link did something wrong.

"So, I think the coast is clear. I couldn't see the cave from the ground, at least…" Link trailed off. He'd almost rather be yelled at that get the silent treatment.

"Do you know why we are going with you, you foolish boy?"

"Don't call me a boy."

"Then stop acting like one. My father and I are accompanying you because the goddesses, for whatever reason, thought that you were the one to save the world from some impending evil. Mark my words; you are not going to be lucky every time you do something stupid."

Link stayed silent, letting the words sink in, as he walked into the cave. Everything was packed, and both Sahasrahla and Bouer were avoiding looking at him. It was good of a time as ever to start the journey toward the Zora Domain. He only hoped that things wouldn't be awkward between everyone. He had no long how long it would be before he was safe. Worse, he had no idea if he would ever be safe again.


	24. Kafei and Malon

Kafei stared up at the dark ceiling of the prison cell, wondering for the umpteenth time how he got in this mess. If only Malon hadn't felt a strong urge to see Link. Sure, Kafei was curious how Link was doing, but he would've been content to send a letter to his old best friend.

He couldn't blame Malon entirely. Although she never admitted it, he could tell she disliked living in Drigoor, where they shared a loft over the Milk Bar. Life had been going so well for Kafei and Malon. True, they had their ups and downs, but who didn't? If all had gone according to plan, they would be saving for a wedding and then start a life on the farm, where Malon belonged. The two were very happy, or at least as Kafei assumed, until the night when Malon suggested they give tithings to the goddesses. While walking toward the cathedral, they were paralyzed by a group of strange zombie-like creatures, and then they were ambushed by a group of soldiers. The next thing he knew, he and Malon were on a train with two other women, one of whom he studied alchemy with back in Torrhes.

Kafei could only think of one other time in his life when he felt similarly despondent. After a brief courtship, Malon and Kafei split when their schooling finished in Torrhes, and they went their own ways. He furthered his alchemy studies at the university and she went into the peacekeeping force. However, fate soon brought them together when Malon traversed to the Arcadian capital city of Drigoor for a multinational summit. She left a conference at the same time that he left one of his classes, and the two met at a pub while trying to escape their problems. Since then, everything had been decent.

Tonight, once again, he wished he had a simple solution for ending his problems. He was a prisoner of war in a never-ending conflict, but surely the queen would be able to do something. Queen Ambi would never let two citizens be held in foreign lands.

He looked out of the cell and saw the moon shining high above the Great Basin Prison. A smile formed along his face beneath the mess of blue hair - Fado the guard would be making his rounds soon, since it was getting late in the night.

Kafei found an enigmatic quality in Fado, whose scrunched nose and eyes that were too close together reminded him of an overgrown squirrel. It seemed that he was the only guard in all of Hyrule who liked working the overnight shift. They had only seen two other guards at nighttime, both of them talking together and not caring for their jobs. No, Fado, slightly overweight and always maintaining a dazed look, actually enjoyed meandering through the stone hallways. More importantly, Fado was the closest ally he and Malon had while in prison. Every night, the guard would inform of what was going on in the world. Hyrulian sports weren't exactly the most exciting topic, but at least it reminded Kafei that there was still a world out there to see.

A set of footsteps forced Kafei out of his mind and into the present. He looked up and saw the bumbling guard waddle into the corridor where Kafei and Malon were imprisoned.

"Another graveyard shift, cutie?" asked a pleasant voice adjacent to his cell. Kafei couldn't believe that his girlfriend put up the same charade every night. As if a Hylian guard would be even swayed by an Arcadian.

"Rehrehreh, thanks pretty lady. I grabbed this from the cafeteria," Fado replied, giving Malon a small pastry. Kafei chuckled a bit, realizing that Fado wasn't a typical person.

"You are too kind! So what's in the news tonight?" Malon asked casually.

"You know I can't tell you…" Fado remarked, his face blushing as he was looking down. They went through this routine every night.

"Pretty please? You can whisper if you want. I don't have to tell my brother." This was also part of their routine. Malon felt their odds of befriending a guard were better if she was single, although when they were alone they found time to be romantic.

"Well… I heard there is some sort of uprising in your homeland," Fado said bashfully. Both Malon and Kafei turned to each other with fear. The news each night was never like this.

"What, whatever do you mean? Don't be telling a Nayru Secret on me," Malon replied, trying to sound affectionate, although there was fear evident in her tone. She was still holding the pastry, although her fist was starting to clench it in anger.

"I can't confirm, but there are rumours that something big happened! Rehrehreh," Fado finished with his own unique chuckle. Again, Malon and Kafei shared a worried glance.

"It's quite silly, it's probably crazy, but it involved that friend of yours… ooh what was his name?"

"Link," replied both Kafei and Malon at the same time. Both were hanging onto his every word.

"Yea! That was it. Funny name. Who would wanna be named after the legendary Hero? Anyone who ever had that name was either famous or was killed too young. Then again, I wouldn't dare ask the prime minister! Our prime minister, that is. Ganon has sure done some great things for us folks – totally revamped our hospitals, expanded our transportation system…"

"What about Link?" Malon interrupted, trying to sound as girlish as possible.

"Oh right, rehrehreh. They says that he got in some trouble. First he wrecked that train. You know, the ones from Drigoor to Kakariko."

"We were on that one," Kafei uttered impatiently. Fado shot him a dirty look that almost said _Why should I help you?_

"Right, and then they had that 50th celebratory ceremony or something."

"Oh, I can't believe I missed that!" Malon complained in her usual voice, slightly out of character that she usually presented to Fado.

"Well…" Fado continued impatiently. "It sounds absolutely crazy, something the goddesses wouldn't have anticipated, but that Link guy went from being an enemy of the state to one of Hyrule's heroes!"

"Hah, we always knew he'd be a hero," Malon remarked. Kafei couldn't imagine how Link would be a hero in Hyrule.

"Yea, apparently he took that queen of theirs hostage, and he was gonna make her step down so the queen's bastard of a daughter is taking over. The typical Arcadian drama, how great!" Fado finished. He walked away from the cell, chuckling.

Kafei and Malon waited for him to leave. Kafei looked over at his girlfriend and saw her trembling, dropping the pastry.

"It's OK, I'm sure Link's fine. It must have been an understanding," Kafei muttered to comfort Malon. She walked over to the bars separating hers and Kafei's cells.

"You're right. I… I just have a funny feeling that Link is someone who's going to influence a lot of people's lives," Malon replied. Kafei felt a slight flushing; he didn't particularly like when she was talking about his best friend. Her eyes always seemed to light up.

"The only life I need to influence is yours," Kafei told her with a smile. The two faces met at an opening at the bars, and without thinking, they shared a kiss. With all of the uncertainty of what was going on in the world, Kafei was glad he had another person to share his anxiety with. Unfortunately, he heard a set of footsteps.

"You can keep doing what you're doing," Fado called out despondently. Kafei felt horrible that their plan for the past two weeks was ruined. "I just wanted to tell you there was an update. That queen of yours was killed by Link. I hope you're happy."

"Fado, wait!" Malon shouted. The news killed the buzz in the room.

"So, Link is in pretty big trouble then…" Kafei uttered. It didn't really sink in until he realized what he said about the queen.

"So are we then. So much for relying on the queen to get us out," Malon remarked despondently. She was always quick to think ahead.

Unfortunately, it seemed that everything was hopeless for the two of them. Malon looked down, and it looked as if she was about to start crying. Instead, she picked up the pastry that she had dropped on the floor. As hungry as Kafei was, due to the limited food they received each day, he was happy to see her receiving the food. She put its entirety in her mouth and swallowed, only immediately Kafei knew something was wrong. Malon began coughing and clenching her wrists against her throat.

"What is it?" Kafei screamed. He put his hands through the bars between their cells, only she collapsed onto her knees away from him.

"Help, someone!" he uttered. He was furious that he couldn't do anything. If only he had supplies on him to stop the poisoning, at least that is what he thought it was.

Malon pounded the hard ground of the cell and continued coughing. Meanwhile, Kafei banged his shoulders against the cell bars. He wasn't going down without a fight.

Suddenly, Malon convulsed, and there was a _clink_ sound on the ground. In the middle of mushy food residue was a small key.

"No…" Kafei uttered. It wasn't poison after all. Malon's plan had worked. "You're a genius!" he exclaimed.

"Just see if it works," Malon said, thrusting the key into Kafei's hands. She was gasping for air and not quite herself. He didn't think her plan to get Fado on their side would work, but he had all of the evidence he needed.

Kafei looked left and right at the hallway, and listened in case anyone was approaching. When he realized the coast was clear, he carefully held the key and put it toward the key hole. His heart was pounding at the potential of his imminent freedom. With its insertion and a small turn, Kafei heard a _click_, and in utter disbelief, he opened the cell door.

"It worked!" Kafei whispered excitedly toward Malon, who was now looking much better. He took a deep breath and took the step out into the hallway. He half-anticipated something to happen, but he was free. He would be able to leave and live the life he wanted, at least as soon as Malon's door was unlocked. He walked the short distance to the door of Malon's cell, and nonchalantly put the key into it. However, it wouldn't go all of the way in.

Kafei remained calm as he tried every which way to turn the key. Malon walked over and helped him; she was just as eager to leave the prison. After a few minutes of frantic key work, they realized the key was only meant for Kafei's door.

"I can't leave you, I'll just go back into my cell and wait until this whole thing passes over," Kafei told Malon. She took the news of her continued imprisonment much better than he.

"No, it's fine. I'll be fine. Go and find Link, get some help. If Fado is right, something major is happening, and for all we know, we could be safer here in the Great Basin."

"You actually believe that squirrel? He's a Hylian."

"He's a Hylian who provided us with a key."

"Probably so he can let me go and get killed while he gets to be with you."

"Did you really not notice the ring on his finger after two weeks?" Malon snapped. Kafei was getting frustrated. He didn't want to fight when they were so close to their freedom. He only wanted the two of them to be on their way.

"Wait here then," Kafei responded.

"As if I had any choice," Malon giggled.

Kafei didn't know how she could maintain her sense of humor at a time like this, but he had more important things to worry about. He walked down the corridor away from his hallway. Every day, when they had their time to be outside, he took a careful notice of the hallways of the prison. Now, even though it was dark, he could see enough of where he was going due to the full moon ahead. He quietly opened the door that lead to the staircase. He walked down the flight toward the courtyard, only he made a turn down another corridor. There must have been other events going on in Hyrule, as, for all he could tell, Fado was the only guard in the entire prison. Within seconds, he reached the door of the guard's room. He entered the room, and although he had never been in there before, his gut instincts drew him to the back corner. There, he saw a wall of keys, one for each cell in the prison. He frantically looked around for where his would be – there weren't many cells. He found two key rings that were missing, meaning…

"Looking for this?" Kafei heard a nasally voice from behind him as a light shined his direction. He turned around to see Fado holding a lantern.

"I… I…" was all Kafei could utter. Behind Fado were four prison guards, two of which holding swords and another two holding bows. He gulped and instinctively put his hands behind his head.

"Foolish boy," uttered one of the other guards with a deep, guttural voice. Kafei's mind was reeling at why there were so many guards. The man with the deep voice stepped toward Kafei and held a whip in the hand opposite of the sword. Without warning, Kafei felt sudden searing blows across his chest. The man slammed Kafei's head against the wall, dealing further pain to the blue-haired boy.

"I don't know how you pulled this off, but you're going to pay. We just received orders a few minutes ago that you'll be transferred to our minister's private prison."

The powerful man wrapped Kafei's hands in the whip and ushered him down the hallway. Kafei looked up at Fado in disgust, although the man had nothing but sorrow in his eyes.

"What do you mean private prison? What about my rights? I didn't do anything wrong!" Kafei shouted. He couldn't handle the injustice. It only just dawned on him that he'd be far away from Malon.

"Ganon knows that you're friends with the Hero and he thinks you're dangerous. I hope you like the ocean you punk, since that's all you'll be seeing for a long, long time," replied the man with the deep voice.

"You can't, you can't!" Kafei shouted as loud as he could, before the guards tied a scarf around his mouth and prevented the words from escaping his mouth.


	25. The High Road

Link nearly lost his footing. It was bad enough that he could barely see with the fog in the mountains, but the pathway toward Zora Domain was littered with large rocks and equally annoying holes. He wasn't sure why he tripped this time, as it was relatively flat terrain, with spritzes of grass here and there. He just had a funny feeling.

"Did anyone notice that?" Link blurted out. They were now far enough away from Drigoor that they could speak freely. However, the present company apparently enjoyed their solitude, as everyone kept quiet.

After they left the cave, Aryll continued to berate Link, at least until she got sweaty and ran to the side of the path to vomit. Link would've felt worse for her being ill if he hadn't gotten such a severe shouting.

Fortunately, Sahasrahla enjoyed Link's escapade into Drigoor, for it provided the company with bombs. Link hadn't realized how he would need them, but an hour into their trek they came across a boulder that blocked their path. Six matches (most of them breaking easily) and one explosion later, they were able to continue. The old man and Bouer both laughed for a few minutes over what else they could explode, but still felt guilty about earlier.

After the frenzy of the bomb ended, everyone returned to their quiet selves. Sahasrahla remained at the front of the pack, reading an old map that seemed to guide them properly. Aryll kept her left hand on her stomach and her right hand on the sword she bought. Bouer, meanwhile, kept running from side to side along the path. He was the odd one out, and Link wasn't quite sure what the boy's story was.

The lack of noise along the rocky path made Link all the more acute toward any sudden changes. He wanted to be ready in case any enemy, either Hylian, Arcadian, or other, would attack. With nothing to do, he was able to reflect on past events for the first time in a while. He was thinking about what he thought being a legal adult would be, and what thrills it would be like going on a grand adventure.

He was slightly annoyed that no one responded to him, so he asked differently. "I think I felt something. Might that be something worth investigating?" Link gave an annoyed look at Bouer, who merely gave a noncommittal glance back.

"Aryll? What do you think?" Link was growing tired of the silence. He thought that going on a journey would be much more enjoyable.

"Will you keep quiet lad? There are still shadow spirits among us, in case you forgot," Aryll uttered darkly. Link wouldn't soon forget his encounters with the dark version of himself.

Aryll's words echoed in Link's head as the four continued onward. He thought about the shadow figures. Nothing made sense anymore in his life. It seemed that every time he got an answer, there were five more questions that came with it. He couldn't help but feel that everything stemmed from Bouer's arrival in Torrhes. After all, there weren't any problems until the first fire happened, and shortly afterward Link met the new boy in town. As much as in the past few weeks he wanted to avoid thinking the worst about his new friend, he couldn't keep his mind away from such thoughts much longer.

"Hey Link, I think I see something down there," uttered Bouer, who was looking down from the pathway. Link rushed over, eager at what it might be. It was getting late in the day, and it was getting harder and harder to see the valleys below. However, there was a circular black shape that appeared to be getting bigger.

"We got one headed for us!" Link shouted to Aryll and Sahasrahla. The old man hurriedly put the map in his pocket and steadied his walking cane. His daughter pulled out a sword, although she seemed less prepared than usual to begin a fight.

The black figure came more into view and coalesced into an angle-like figure, only it was entirely dark. The being flew above the four of them and paused in mid-air. No one moved at first, until Bouer dove behind a rock. The creature lunged after the boy, the first to move. Link ran toward it with his sword held high.

"Stay away from my friend!" he shouted. His blade intercepted the being's attack. Both Sahasrahla and Aryll stood back as Link stared down the being.

"You want him? Well you can't have him!" Link shouted back at the black creature.

The darkling let out a horrendous shriek and dove toward Link. He was ready and stepped a bit to the side, letting the creature fly directly by him. In one swift move, Link slashed his sword with such energy that flames erupted from its end.

The beast yelled out again, apparently wounded and unable to fly. Link yelled out in response with a bloodthirsty scream. He ran toward the shadow creature and devoted his mental energy toward Din. He felt a familiar rush of energy flow through his body. He thrust his sword into the creature as fire escaped his hands. With one final scream, the shadow creature seized and collapsed to the ground.

"Are you OK?" Link asked to Bouer. The boy trembled but gave a small nod. Link looked around and saw the stunned faces of Sahasrahla and Aryll. _Was that a small smirk of approval on her face?_ Link thought to himself.

"Let's go, there might be more," Aryll muttered. With complete disregard to any feminine grace, she spat on the shadow creature and kicked it off the pathway. The four of them watched as it skipped down the mountain.

Without any further hesitation, the four of them walked onward. After the small skirmish, Link realized how hungry he was getting, and with a bit of panic, he realized he didn't bring any food with him. He was inwardly rather disappointed, particularly after he had been at the market only hours earlier.

Once the skies turned to a pinkish-blue, Sahasrahla announced that they wouldn't travel any further that night. They were only a few hours away from Zora's Domain, but their trek was too dangerous without being able to see properly. They settled upon a large opening along the pathway.

Despite being located high in the mountains, they managed to be more than comfortable at their campsite. Sahasrahla quickly started a fire with magic, and Aryll left to find some food. Within minutes, she returned with two captured rabbits. She prepared dinner for the four of them, adding the meat to a pouch of rice that her father had brought along. Link hadn't realized how well the two of them had packed.

Having settled much earlier than the previous night, the four sat around the fire, not saying much. Link grew uncomfortable by the silence. If this was to be an adventure worth repeating to future generations, he wanted to be sure that it was with four people who wanted to talk to each other.

"So just how long do you think it will be to get to Hyrule?" Link asked, having lost track how many times he had asked that question that day. Each time, he got a noncommittal answer, although this time Sahasrahla spoke up.

"With our detour to the Zora lands, it may be weeks before we end up in Kakariko, and who knows what we will find there." He let his words ring out before he spoke again. "However, the winds tell me we'll find a shortcut once we reach the Zora lands tomorrow."

"Well _that's_ a relief. I wouldn't want to spend any more time than I had to with those people," Bouer blurted out. Link realized why their travels had been so quiet that day: no one quite knew what to say around the boy from Hyrule that they hardly knew.

"So Bouer, tell us more about yourself. After all, I saved your head earlier from that shadow guy," Link remarked to his friend. He was more eager than ever to get some answers from the boy. He wouldn't have cared if the boy flunked out of school or ran away from his parents, so long as he gave a specific answer.

"Well, I don't know what you want to know. I think I'm gonna turn it in though. Night everyone!" Bouer uttered kindly. Link wasn't willing to take that for a response.

"No, I think we're all entitled to some answers. You may be able to provide us passage into Hyrule, but as long as you're in Arcadia with me, you're in danger that only we can protect you from," Link replied darkly. He wasn't sure what came over him, but he looked across the fire and saw another smile of approval from Aryll.

"I, uh…." started Bouer, but he trailed off to a string of incomprehensible words.

"Go ahead son," replied Sahasrahla. If Link didn't know better, he'd swear that the old man already knew what the boy was about to say.

"I…. can't tell you," remarked the boy. Link was starting to get annoyed.

"How can you give us that, when you already know our secrets? I don't care that you're Hylian, so long as you're not working with Ganon," Link complained.

"And if I was?" Bouer whispered. Aryll and Link stood up at the same time, clenching their swords.

"What?" Aryll and Link shouted at the same time. Aryll held her swords and lunged toward the boy. However, Sahasrahla, in his old age, was too fast for the both of her, and walked in front of the boy.

"Move! How can you defend him like that?" Link asked.

"This is nothing more than what he told me last night," Sahasrahla spoke calmly. Link made a mental note to ask why the old man didn't speak of this earlier.

"I should've known!" Aryll shrieked as the red-haired boy stayed silent. "After my poor Ingo died, I took a sample of that poison to the professors at Drigoor. They confirmed it was of Hylian origin! If it hadn't been for _you_," she said, pointing toward Sahasrahla, "I would've taken the boy's life just like he took Ingo's!"

"But…" Bouer spoke up.

"So after all of this time, you've just been spying on us? Some creepy little boy who's been behind everything in our little town - who set the town on fire to see who would save the day? Who killed an innocent man, what, to rattle the successor to the throne of Hyrule's enemy?" Link's anger was quickly building.

"And worst, who set…" Linked pulled out his sword.

"Free…" he stepped toward Bouer.

"A shadow beast…" he pulled the sword up to the boy, who was starting to shake uncontrollably.

"That is trying to kill us all!" Link finished with a shout. He stabbed the sword onto the ground.

"Well, erm…" Bouer started, looking wildly between Aryll and Link. "That's not quite true."

"Of course it isn't. Let's just kill him and be done with him!" Aryll shouted as she raised her sword, but her father held her hand and simply shook his head.

"You see, I _didn't_ set the town on fire that night, and I have no idea what's up with those shadow figures," Bouer replied confidently, shaking slightly less. Link felt a shiver go up his spine; he could tell the boy was not lying.

"What about Ingo…" Aryll asked, trying to hold back tears.

"I… uh… I… he was the traitor, not me! I swear!" Bouer shouted. He anticipated a backlash, so he rolled off the log he was sitting on and curled into a ball. Aryll broke free of her father's grip and held her sword menacingly toward the boy's chest.

"Put the sword down," Sahasrahla muttered quietly. Link was surprised at Aryll's reaction – he didn't want to kill the boy, at least.

"Why should I? He is calling Ingo a traitor, when all the man did was love his life!" Aryll remarked with clenched teeth.

"I was ordered to kill him, I'm sorry! Ingo failed his mission with the train and the Moon Orb, so I had to!" Bouer replied, still curled in a ball.

Aryll's face grew livid at first, but then softened when she asked her father, "you told me to be careful of him. You knew then?"

"I am sorry my child," Sahasrahla responded. Link wasn't sure whether that meant the old man knew or not, but Aryll accepted the response regardless.

"And to think, I've been carrying the child of a traitor for weeks," Aryll sobbed. Link stared at the women, not quite sure what was going on.

"I've been the traitor too," Bouer uttered, starting to sit up. "Thanks for saving my life so many times Link. I suppose I owe you the truth then." He reached his arm into his shirt and pulled out a bronze necklace. It fit around his neck so tightly that it appeared impossible to take off. On the bottom end was a tiny gold heart that appeared to flutter every few seconds. If Link didn't know better, he'd swear that…

"It is beating, yes," the boy whispered. Link couldn't believe he never noticed it before, but then the boy always had a habit of covering his neck up.

"You see… I'm actually… related to the prime minister," Bouer said slowly, letting out a smirk.

"But Ganon is an only child, and he's too young to have a boy of his own!" Aryll shouted, but she stopped and put her hand over her mouth. Link didn't realize what she had figured out, until Bouer said it himself.

"I'm actually Ganon's clone... There, it feels pretty good to come out and say that!" Bouer laughed. Link and Aryll eyed each other. Neither remembered putting their swords away. Meanwhile, Sahasrahla was finishing the last bits of the meal that they prepared.

Link couldn't imagine how the rest of his adventure would end up after how the first day ended up.


	26. Dreams and Schemes

"You're his what?" Aryll asked incredulously as Link sat silently. He had speculated occasionally about the story of his friend (if he could even refer to a Hylian spy as a friend), but he never imagined this to be the case.

"I'm his clone, you know, biological duplicate?" Bouer replied, only Aryll and Link continued staring. If it wasn't for the unusualness of the moment, Link was sure that Aryll would have torn the boy limb for limb for taking something from her. She took a deep breath and stepped away from the campfire, pulling out supplies for dinner. Link shuddered a bit, now wondering _what_ the boy was instead of _who_.

"But, how is that possible? Hyrule has only been separate from us for 50 years! How could they be that far ahead that they could do something so unnatural? Din, I can't imagine," Link ranted. His mind was reeling at the sudden influx of information. "And how was Ingo, of all people, a traitor? He just lived alone. How in Nayru could he… would he cause two fires and… the train…"

"I believe I can explain before we turn in for the night," Sahasrahla uttered, catching Link by surprise. The old man had kept quiet while Bouer explained himself. Only Link was showing outward confusion now though. Either Aryll was still in shock that she was pregnant to the child of a traitor, or she knew more than she was letting on, and she was able to prepare dinner happily.

"I don't pretend to be an expert…" Sahasrahla began before Aryll let out what sounded like a mixture between a laugh and a cough.

"…but I believe I can piece the story together. You see, it goes back to Great War, when the many cultures of Hyrule grew irate toward each other and a great Hylian general led the soldiers toward…"

"Get on with it, father!" Aryll shouted while she grinded some seasoning into their rice. The old man looked down and appeared flustered.

"Yes, well, when Hyrule abandoned the goddesses and the other cultures, they became much stronger, as if guided by something more. They developed new and wondrous technologies. They cured every disease known to man, developed an education system that far surpassed any civilization in history, and even found ways to control the elements. Never mind how little regard they had for magic."

Sahasrahla held out his right hand and formed a small fireball, which illuminated a small smile on his face.

"It appears only natural that their latest prime minister wants to keep building on his predecessor's successes and to keep any harm at bay. I'd be surprised if Ingo was the first Hylian spy to visit Arcadia. I believe that he was merely a pawn, and nothing more." Sahasrahla finished, as if settling the matter.

"So you believe what I am carrying is not a child of love?" Aryll asked with a detectable quiver in her voice, setting down the kettle of hot water and rice with a thud. Link just stared at her. She suddenly seemed so much more vulnerable, as if she had something that made her more complete than ever before.

"Well, not necessarily," Bouer quipped. He seemed to be enjoying the attention after everyone looked in his direction. "He was in regular correspondence with someone in Hyrule, since this…" he pointed to the chain around his neck. "…is one of a kind. It must have been by letter, in which case it would be registered at the Library in Hyrule Castle Town. I can show you after we get into Hyrule. I'm sure you'll love everything we've got."

Link rolled his eyes. He very much doubted that anyone would appreciate anything Hylian.

"But why did you kill him?" Aryll queried to the boy with much morose. Her arms were folded, covering her stomach. She was ignoring the pot boiling over.

"I'm… sorry… but I was forced," Bouer muttered as he looked down, looking quite ashamed.

"How could you be forced though?" Link asked, disgusted at the thought of such slavery. Bouer gave him a stern look before reaching down into his bag that he carried. Without a word, the boy pulled out a vial filled with harsh-orange liquid.

"No!" Link shouted as he recoiled from the nepenthe. "Why would you bring that!" he asked.

Both Aryll and Sahasrahla eyed Link curiously. In the excitement in the days before the festival, Link had never told the two adults that he had completely forgotten a day of his life. Link took solace that he didn't remember causing such chaos around Torrhes.

"I told the boy to bring everything he had," Sahasrahla remarked.

"But, but he's a Hylian! A spy of Ganon's who can reach us any time he wants," Link cried out. He didn't see why the two adults weren't as worried as he was. It was times like this that made Link miss Kafei the most. At least he would've agreed on the severity of the situation.

"Not any time…" Bouer spoke up quietly again. Link wasn't sure how much more he could deal with the Hylian boy.

"Only when we're in Hyrulian territory can he reach me at any time. Since we're further away, I can block it out, at least for a little while," he finished cheerfully.

"There, you see? The boy won't allow the Prime Minister to interfere while we're en route to Hyrule, and he'll also get us safe entry, while we provide him safe passage to escape Arcadia. A deal is a deal," Sahasrahla responded. Through the flames, Link saw the old man nod his head ever so slightly toward the Hylian boy.

"Fine then, fine," Link uttered, tired of debating with the others. "I'm going to bed; it's been a long day." He took his bag and walked away from the campsite.

"Don't you want food?" Aryll called out from behind him.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry," Link responded back while his stomach let out a rumble. He set down a blanket, climbed on top of it, and pulled out another blanket for on top of him.

He looked outward from the mountain peak. As much as he walked that day, he needed some alone time to ponder about Bouer. Link couldn't believe how foolish he was. He should have known sooner, and yet he was blinded by the guise of friendship. He imagined how different his journey would be if it was with Kafei and Malon, at least until he remembered why he was on his current journey.

He was an outlaw. The people of his own country thought he was a murderer. How could the Hero of Time be someone who people couldn't even trust? Even his two friends were still in danger because of him, locked away somewhere.

Link heard his three companions talk softly as their spoons clanked their bowls. He'd be so much happier if he knew what his legendary journey was supposed to be. All of the legends seemed so straightforward – save the princess and beat the bad guy. But there was no princess – Zelda was a senator and quite capable of handling herself. He didn't even know who the proverbial "bad guy" was, considering his companion was a biological duplicate of the man who shares the name with the king of evil.

A piercing wind swept across Link's body, reminding him of that morning so long ago when he walked across snowy Torrhes to Talus Cave.

"Din, Farore, Nayru, please let things be better tomorrow," Link whispered as he pulled his hand out. He concentrated and produced a small ball of fire. He let the flame descend and sit in a ball beside him. He smiled warmly as he drifted off to sleep.

"_You were asking for me?" called out a voice._

"_Huh?" Link replied. He was in a dark place with lights scattered every which way. Everything weaved together in a hazy wave. _

"_You asked for some help, so here I am! It's great to see you again too," replied the familiar high-pitched voice. _

"_Farore?" Link called out instinctively. _

"_NO!" shouted the voice. Everything turned a blazing red, which illuminated a girl sitting in mid-air. Link gasped, which prompted a giggle from the girl._

"_Good to see you too. At least show some gratitude for a goddess," replied the girl dramatically._

"_I'm sorry Din. Everything is changing so quickly. I just want… I want… I…" _

"_Something simpler? An easier pathway?" _

_The blazing red background shifted to a pleasant pink. The nothingness that had previously dominated transformed to a distinct room. It was an office, with a handsome wooden desk surrounded by walls of books. Link and Din sat on a couch on the opposite wall of the desk._

"_It really should be Farore telling you this, but she wanted to wait til the time is right." Din spoke._

"_For what?" Link replied._

"_She wouldn't tell me either." The two laughed._

"_You know, that Hylian companion of yours isn't the nemesis you think he is. He's just a boy like you, with father issues, coming to terms with his own… power." Din emphasized the last word with a small spark emanating from her hand. _

"_You see Link," she began as she folded her hands on her lap, "the Hero of Time often has a difficult path, and time after time we raised the stakes, seeing what he would do. Only, last time the Hero died." Din remarked casually. _

"_Why are you telling me this?" Link asked darkly after the sudden shift in mood. His own mortality was the last thing on his mind when he set off for Hyrule._

"_We wanted to make things different for the next Hero, so we kept him sheltered, away from Hyrule." _

"_No, and why are you referring to "him" when you mean me?"_

"_Do you know where you are?"_

"…_no, someone's office? I assumed you created this for the purpose of telling me something."_

"_My sisters and I created the entire world too - every last animal, tree, and breath of fresh air. You are sitting in Hyrule right now, and someone is about to walk in. They won't be able to see you, and you won't be able to help them. We showed you a vision, but you ignored it in your own selfishness. If you want an easier path, this will make everything much easier," Din finished with a disgusted look on her face. _

_Link couldn't help but feel ashamed at the goddesses' lack of faith in him. He tried thinking of who Din was possibly referring to, but his thoughts only kept turning toward Kafei and Malon. _

_A set of footsteps drew Link's attention to the door. He walked toward it and tried opening the handle, only his arm went straight through the wood. A giggle drew Link's attention back to Din, who patted the couch with a smile. Resigned, Link sat down and awaited the footsteps to enter the room._

_The door opened, and in walked Senator Zelda Orion, looking disheveled and holding a small briefcase. Behind her was a frail man with patches of brown hair and an annoyed look on his face. He walked around with a wide stride, as if thinking he was more important than he really was._

"_Everything will be fine," remarked the senator. She had a quiet, yet dignified grace as she sat her briefcase down on her desk and she sat in her chair. Link wondered briefly whether the two would be able to see him, at least until the other man walked toward him and collapsed on the couch. Instinctively, Link stood up and opted to watch the scene from the side._

"_You need to stop saying that. It won't be fine," rambled the man. He abruptly arose and hobbled in Link's direction. He bent down and pulled out an old dusty bottle of bourbon, sloppily pouring it into a glass. _

"_They have too much against you my child, it looks bad."_

_Link let the words "my child" ring in his head. "Harkinian," he whispered. Din gave a slight nod from the couch._

"_There is still the code of laws. Their primary witness to me crossing the border was killed days ago," Zelda spoke calmly._

"_Why didn't you tell me this?" the man asked, nearly choking after taking a sip of his drink._

"_I only found out a few hours ago. Sahasrahla told me of the man's death. I believe his name was Ingo." Zelda tapped her fingers on her desk impatiently. She continued, "And if they have no proper evidence, there is no way they could convict me. The people may not re-elect me if this matter reaches the press, but for now I shall honor my goddess-sworn duty of representing them."_

"_Save your speeches to convince the public, not me," the man uttered gruffly. "There is still the matter of your frequent disappearances. You've gotten lucky too many times. If they hadn't kept the train fiasco quiet, they would have used that as evidence against you." _

"_They're keeping two Arcadians here against their will; I doubt they'd bring that up soon."_

"_Unless they had a closed trial."_

_There was a silence in the room, and Link detected notable tension between Zelda and Harkinian. _

"_I have five days. That is ample time for something to happen," Zelda replied with a slight smirk. _

"_If you insist," whispered her father. The man, who was still the rightful heir to the Arcadian throne, seemed nothing like royalty. He let out a loud belch after finishing his drink, and without another word put his legs up on the couch. _

"_Night dad," Zelda muttered dejectedly. She walked away from her desk and out of the room._

"_When is this? Is this a message from the future again?" Link asked the goddess._

"_It's right now, silly," Din spoke casually as she stood up._

"_Wait, I only have five days to meet up with her before she goes on trial? I don't know where she lives, how I can help her, how I can stop the trial. What am I even supposed to do?" Link rambled. However, the goddess disappeared, and the pink walls faded to black._


	27. Trust

Compared with sleeping in the cave, sleeping on the coarse mountainside proved much more uncomfortable. After a night of strange dreams, Link awoke to a dim haze shielding the horizon. The fire ball he made the previous night still glowed, although not as strongly. He couldn't believe how tired he was. Due to the flame, he remained relatively warm, and he had slept much worse in the previous few weeks. Everything and everyone was quiet – apparently everyone else was still asleep.

"Five days," he muttered, recalling the vision courtesy of the goddess of power. He couldn't imagine finishing any task in five days with how little energy he had. After opening his eyes with considerable effort, he watched the spark in his hand dwindle out, which set off a rapid chain of events.

First, a loud crack erupted in the distance. Then, he heard Sahasrahla shout behind him with detectable terror in his voice, "wake up everybody." Link watched, paralyzed, as the horizon turned dark and a swarm of shadow creatures approached their campsite. A bolt of lightning struck the ground, and a large piece of hail fell in front of him as the sky collapsed in a torrent of rains.

_This is it_, Link thought as a dark flying being descended toward the mountaintop. He watched in agony at being unable to move as his clothes quickly dampened. When the creatures were only feet away, with their blood-red talons visible lurching toward Link, he heard a peaceful song from behind him.

He turned his head and saw Sahasrahla playing a flute, out of which came a haunting waltz in a minor key. As his little fingers moved, the clouds opened above the campsite and revealed a gleaming sunlight. The nearest shadow creature let out a shriek of agony and attempted to fly away, but Aryll lunged toward it and tackled it to the ground.

"Why are you after us?" she demanded from the being. However, the creature collapsed and dissipated into a dust cloud. Aryll let out a loud groan of disappointment.

"We'd better get a move on," muttered Sahasrahla. "Someone, wake Link up," he finished.

_I am awake. I just don't want to go anywhere._ Link thought.

"Link?" asked Aryll gruffly from behind him; he stayed still. "Do you want breakfast?" she asked without him giving an answer.

Link didn't realize how famished he was, considering his last full meal was in the cave. He grunted lightly.

"Hey, wake up! C'mon, can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?" called out Bouer. Link wanted to respond in aggravation of being called a "boy", when he was clearly a legal adult. However, he couldn't summon the energy. _This isn't good_, Link thought.

"Father, either this child is stupid, lazy, or sick, but he won't get up," spoke Aryll. After some clanking from behind him, Link heard a set of heavy footsteps walk toward him.

"He isn't stupid," responded the raspy voice of the old man. "I believe he saved all of us. Link, if you can hear me, you need to drink this potion."

Link gave a slight nod to his head, glad that someone was there to save him. Sahasrahla forced a bottle of bright green liquid into his mouth. Unbelievably, the juice gave him incredible energy.

"What, what happened?" Link stammered as he sat up, trying to get his possessions together in his traveling sack. Everything happened so suddenly.

"I'd imagine that those shadow beings can only attack in the dark, so Link's flame that lasted all night kept the creatures at bay. How fortuitous that he made a backup flame…"

Link was glad Sahasrahla didn't mention how he stormed off to bed the previous night.

"…considering that ours died out the middle of the night."

"What?" Aryll asked with much surprise as she rummaged through her bag. Link shot Bouer a scathing look, but the boy innocently shook his head.

"Next time I'll take Link's approach and use a little magic," Sahasrahla chuckled as he slapped Link on the back. "With that cleared up, I think we should get a move on. It shall only be a few hours' walk to Zora Domain, but I'd hate to be outside when it gets dark again."

The old man pulled out his walking cane and pressed it toward the ground, which signaled the others to begin their trek.

"We can eat while we walk. Here," Aryll said, giving Link an apple. He waited for Bouer to walk ahead of him before moving onward. He was beginning to wonder why the boy was joining them, before he heard Aryll ask as he gave Bouer an apple:

"Now, you are sure you can get us into Hyrule?"

"I'm positive, don't worry at all," replied the boy cheerfully.

"Hey, why is it so difficult to get into Hyrule? It's just a simple border crossing," Link called ahead.

"Speak for yourself lad," replied Sahasrahla from behind. "Armed guards and vicious beasts control who gets in or out," he finished threateningly.

"But why?" persisted Link.

"If you were the chosen race of the goddesses, you'd too want to protect your borders. I swear, you'll love Kakariko. It's one of the greatest cities in the world!" replied Bouer from the front of the pack. Link only knew Torrhes and Drigoor well enough to make an assessment, so he didn't doubt that Kakariko would be better.

"Where will we be staying there?" Link asked awkwardly. He had little idea of their plans once they were in Hyrule. He didn't want to bring up his dream about Zelda in front of Bouer. Likewise, he didn't want to bring up Sahasrahla's song on the flute, in case there was some secret behind that.

"We should be staying at the Nockturn Inn, provided we arrive there tomorrow night. Any later and it may be overrun by travelers. Some sort of summit is happening and is less than a week away. Even I don't know what is, but I'm sure that Hyrule's collective curiosity will bring out all sorts of people."

Link stumbled over a rock after Bouer finished. He wondered whether Senator Orion's hearing in five days was the same as the summit. _No, it's a coincidence_, he told himself. However, Link wasn't willing to take anything at face value from Bouer, not after the boy claimed to be a duplicate version of Hyrule's Prime Minister.

The four of them continued along the mountains, varying in talking between their future plans or just idle chatter. For how young and immature Bouer was at times, he was also surprisingly smart for his age. Link heard the boy and Sahasrahla chat over the benefits of a monarchy versus a strong democracy. However, Link didn't care much for politics. It seemed too distant to him to worry about something that he couldn't affect.

Their day was relatively uneventful after the attack of the shadow creatures. However, it seemed that Bouer was going above and beyond to keep him in the mindset of the others. If Link didn't know better, the boy was trying to divert attention away from what he revealed the previous night, and it was working. As it turned out, Bouer was quite a social person. It only took him opening up about his "big secret" (as Link liked to call it).

At one point in the day, he ran ahead of the group and climbed up a tree. He swung his legs around a branch, and as the group passed he imitated a skulltula. Later in the day, he told a humorous story about two newlywed Gorons spending a week redecorating a room that contained only one rock.

However, just as the boy was starting to talk about a forest populated by children, Sahasrahla warned the group that they had just passed Ebro – the last town on the way out of Arcadia. Link couldn't help but feel awkwardness at leaving his country, and yet he couldn't wait until he experienced more of an adventure.

"I'm not so sure about his..." muttered Aryll. The three males turned toward her, each knowing that she was the rightful heir to the Arcadian throne.

"How can I leave my country in shambles like this? My mother… would never have wanted this," she stammered. Link hadn't thought that Aryll actually wanted to stay, not after she agreed to leave.

"My child, we don't have much time, you know this," Sahasrahla told his daughter calmly.

"What do you mean?" Link asked, curious whether the old man knew about his dream.

"The army can't have been completely unprepared," the old man began as he talked to Aryll. "Your mother had designated a predecessor before you, only she met her demise a month ago. Ambi was surrounded by the best and brightest in Arcadia. I am sure they are managing just fine. We must continue onward."

Aryll and Sahasrahla stared at each other. Link could sense some troubles in their relationship.

"How can I leave behind an opportunity to rule an entire nation?" Aryll asked to no one in particular. She pressed her fingers to her eyes while she was deep in thought.

"Do not forget they were the ones who wouldn't let you join their military," uttered Sahasrahla calmly. Link saw that the old man struck a nerve with his daughter, after her face grew cold and fierce.

"And I could be the one to change that silly rule. I need to know if it's too late," Aryll responded. She pulled her bag off and threw it to the ground.

"I'm going into Ebro. It shouldn't take more than 30 minutes to get in and out from here." She pointed to her left, and sure enough there were houses fairly close by. The sun was still high enough in the sky that she would have returned before nightfall.

"As it so happens, I once bought supplies from a bronzeworker from here. I just need to know…" 

"I hope you can fend off the shadow creatures while you catch up to us then," Sahasrahla responded dismissively.

"Wait…" Link uttered. Five days was plenty of time to help save Senator Orion. He couldn't let someone as valuable as Aryll depart from his group. He didn't know anyone who better knew the art of swordsmanship.

"You can't leave without me," Link declared to the old man. He took his bag off and nodded his head toward Aryll. She gave a slight smile in return.

"We'll be careful, father," Aryll muttered as she stepped away from Sahasrahla. Link followed her closely behind, ignoring the glare of the old man and the suppressed smile of Bouer. It didn't seem like the logical way to do the task that the goddesses set him out to do, but it seemed like the right thing to do.


	28. Lyon the Kokiri

Link was surprised how well Aryll managed in walking down the mountainside. It wasn't as steep as the outskirts of Drigoor, but Link still broke up a sweat trying to keep up with the pregnant woman. The sun wasn't far from dropping below the horizon.

"Aryll, do you think we'll back before the sun goes down? I don't exactly want those shadow creatures bothering us on our way back," Link complained to Aryll.

"It's funny you think they're after us," Aryll muttered, but Link thought it was merely a deflection.

With their capricious decision behind them, Link wondered what exactly he was doing joining Aryll like this. His dream of the Hyrulian Senator was a clear message from Din.

…and yet it wasn't clear at all. It was a representation of the present, and all Link knew was that he had five days before Zelda Orion faced trial. If what Bouer said was true (but he had little reason to believe it was), then they would be in Kakariko within two days.

Link watched Aryll wait behind a tree. They were on the outskirts of Ebro, which was an even smaller village than Link imagined. All that separated Link and Aryll from an outpost of seven buildings was a small dirt road. Link vaguely wondered why they were waiting so long, until he heard voices coming from the right. It was two armed men chatting idly.

The taller one, located closer to Aryll and Link, spoke gruffly: "all this hunting for a couple of outlaws is wasting time…"

Link felt a surge of pride in his brother Arcadian, at least until the man finished,

"… when we could be digging for gold. You know, I heard that there is a whole patch of gold in the far north. You just need to find a map. Now, the map is hidden, but you can find the map with a special compass, which can only be forged using the blood of a golden skulltula mixed with a dondongo over a fire started by a deku stick. Now, that deku stick has to come from…"

Link's pride deflated rather quickly. He hoped that the shorter soldier would have shown some incredulity toward the story, but he was transfixed at the whimsical adventure.

When the two soldiers were out of sight, Link and Aryll crossed the road. Link let out a laugh, thinking of the ridiculousness of spending so much time in such an impossible project. And yet…

"What's wrong lad?" Aryll asked after Link stopped walking. He realized that his venture was equally whimsical. Somehow, he was supposed to become the legendary Hero of Time, when all he had going was escaping a country and helping out a senator.

"It's nothing," Link lied. He hurried behind Aryll. The last thing he needed was getting lost and having to fend off the shadow creatures by himself.

The two went through the trees and into Ebro village. No one was walking about, and Link doubted whether anyone lived there amongst the seven buildings.

"Let's see…" Aryll uttered as she looked at the huts. They were all nearly identical, which seemed out of place for being a part of Arcadia. Every village Link had been to in his life had a wide variety of houses. He thought back to the house he lived in for as long as he could remember.

Kafei and Malon and the other children of Torrhes lived in bigger houses with their families, and yet Link lived alone in his little hut. He didn't mind it, since he regularly had company, and Aryll would always provide meals. He couldn't imagine how strange it would be if he never saw his hut ever again.

"Link," Aryll said, breaking Link out of his thoughts. "Which of these seven looks different to you?" she asked.

Link looked intently at the seven, all neatly placed around a semi-circle. Each had a tree on the left side and three stone pavers leading to the door. He looked from left to right, stopping briefly at the fifth hut from the left.

"Just take a guess," Aryll whispered impatiently. If Link didn't know better, it was a test.

"That one," he said, pointing at the one he stared at longest. After he said the words, he heard a faint whooshing wind. He gaped as he saw the six other houses disappear and reveal a large pit.

"Ah, that's right. It was the house closest to the border. It has been too long," Aryll remarked as she walked toward the lone house left in the village. Link stayed where he was standing.

"Where did they all go?" he asked.

"Oh, it's just a basic magic spell that Lyon did to keep outsiders away."

"Magic…?"

Link knew that he had some abilities, and of course he had seen Sahasrahla showing his powers, but something unsettled him that a total stranger was also able to use the power of the goddesses. He wondered if it was it more commonly used than he thought.

Aryll continued ahead and knocked on the door of the remaining house, and Link quickly followed behind, eager to meet whoever Lyon was. The door opened and revealed a short green-haired child, someone younger-looking than Bouer.

"Thank you for having us, we won't be long," Aryll said with a slight quiver in her voice. She bowed toward the child, and gave a fierce look at Link. He followed her motions.

"Come in," declared the child, who waved both of them inside. Link looked around for his parents, but there were no other adults around. _Surely this couldn't be the Lyon who was a bronzeworker_, Link thought.

"Lyon, this is my traveling partner Bouer," Aryll indicated to Link, after the child eyed him suspiciously. They both sat uncomfortably next to each other on a small couch. She continued, "you must have heard something involving myself and the queen."

"Yes, I have. I was quite surprised to see you dropping in. It's been quite a few years," spoke Lyon quietly. He took a seat on a chair in what must have been his family room. From the lack of decorations and a heap of metals along the baseboard, it was evident he didn't have many guests.

"I… switched to a new mixture of components that are much closer to home," Aryll replied nervously. Link couldn't imagine why she would be so uncomfortable here.

"It was good of you to come. I can protect you for a while until the whole situation dies down," Lyon remarked with a smile toward Aryll. The child gave a brief threatening glance at Link.

"So what do you know about what happened?" Link asked impatiently. He didn't care for what was going on between Aryll and Lyon, but he had a deadline. This didn't seem like it would only take 30 minutes.

"Where are your manners, boy?" Lyon barked at Link.

"Who are you calling boy?" Link asked back as he stood up, but Aryll pushed him back down.

"L… Bouer, I am sorry, but Lyon is a Kokiri elder. He doesn't age, but he has seen more in the world than you ever will," Aryll replied back to Lyon, with a hint of sweetness in her voice that seemed all too out of place. At least it made sense how such a young-looking boy would know so much. Perhaps Bouer was older than Link thought.

"Yes… well, a group of soldiers walked by here yesterday and warned me about a group of dangerous people. I knew they were talking about you when they said… _dangerous_."

Aryll stared at Lyon, while Link watched the two.

"They said the great Queen Ambi was brutally slaughtered by magic, but I knew your father would never do such a thing," Lyon spoke as he stared at Aryll. "Their story wasn't adding up though. Apparently no one at that anniversary festival remembered seeing the queen being attacked, that is except for one girl. What was her name… Leah? …Ida?"

"Ilia?" Link asked to Lyon.

"Yes, that was it! The girl said she was being controlled or something, and that she saw you, Aryll dear, fly away after the queen was surrounded in darkness. She was taken into questioning but was released already. Now it seems they only want you. You're a _wanted_ person, you know," Lyon finished. Link looked up and saw a flustered look on Aryll's face. He looked down and saw her hands covering her stomach.

"Did you hear anything about who is taking control?" Aryll asked dryly. It seemed that she was waiting until the moment was appropriate to bring it up.

"All of the Queen's inner circle were rounded up and taken into questioning, and the head of the military has assumed the role of head of state. He declared martial law and has put every resource into finding you. Lucky me that I found you first," Lyon responded with a big smile. If Link didn't know that Lyon was much older, he would've found him charming, but instead he found the smile quite creepy.

"I was making supper, but I have plenty here if you and your… friend wish to join me," Lyon remarked, putting a mark of disgust on "friend".

"Actually, I have two others who are traveling with me, and I don't want to keep them waiting. These are dangerous times for a falsely accused woman," Aryll stated. She stood up, her arm around Link's elbow. Link got the sense that she was regretting coming here.

"Nonsense, you can stay the night here for the night. Such a special person should be comfortable in such a difficult time."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to be a burden."

"I insist. You can go call your others the normal way while I throw another few birds in the pot. It's great to have company."

Aryll walked hurriedly out the door, and Link followed closely behind. He watched as she held her face in deep concentration. He knew that Sahasrahla could communicate telepathically, but he didn't know Aryll could do the same. That would explain why the father and daughter were so quiet so far during their voyage.

"You can do that too?" Link asked disappointedly. He wondered what else Sahasrahla was keeping from him.

"Well, do you trust him or not? Are we staying? I'm getting hungry," Link blurted out. He hadn't had a proper meal since the feast.

"We are staying, but not for the night. Link, we were once rather close, Lyon and I. But I never saw him again after I met Ingo…" Aryll spoke quietly as she let out a shiver. "I don't want to be alone with him, so my father and Bouer are on their way."

Link wasn't used to seeing Aryll so frightened like this. "It's OK, but why did you have to invite both of them? Particularly the boy," Link finished with disgust when mentioning Bouer.

"If anyone in our group should have anything against the boy, it's me. He took Ingo's life. Seeing as I never told you about us, you must be upset because the boy shares the same last name as the Hylian Prime Minister. Don't be afraid of the name "Ganon", and don't pick out your enemies until you no longer need them."

Aryll let her words ring out in the silence of the woods. Link couldn't imagine how he'd need Bouer, but he chose not to argue back. If it weren't for Aryll's connections, he wouldn't be getting a meal.

Bouer and Sahasrahla emerged from the woods and into the clearing, and looked around in confusion.

"Over here," Aryll uttered, which drew the attention of the remainder of their group. Link realized that the illusion must have gone up after they entered the house.

"Hello Bouer," Sahasrahla said as he winked toward Link.

"Hey Link," Bouer added. "You left this back at the campsite." Bouer handed Link's sword to him.

"Thanks," Link replied awkwardly. He fumbled the sword with his left hand, but managed to get it into its sheath. Despite what Aryll said, he didn't think he'd need much help from the Hylian boy.

The four walked into the house of the Kokiri for their final meal before leaving Arcadia.


	29. The Arc of the Triforce

"I am surprised how quiet the road is here, for so close to the border," mused Sahasrahla. The old man looked around the front room where Link and Aryll had been sitting.

"Lyon says that the military has taken control, father, and that they are mainly after me. By Nayru's love, they must think we've gone into hiding if they've already let down their guard. What luck!" Aryll cheered with a hushed voice.

"It isn't luck. Trust me," the old man responded gravely. Link rolled his eyes and made eye contact with Bouer. He felt an urge to punch the redhead, but stopped after his eyes caught the gold necklace around Bouer's neck.

A set of footsteps came from the kitchen. Link turned and saw Lyon staring at Sahasrahla. The short Kokiri had a grimace on his face and was breathing heavily.

"So Aryll, these are your guests?" asked Lyon. Aryll gave a nervous nod, while Link and his other two companions stood awkwardly in the living room.

"Hello Sahasrahla," the Kokiri gritted. He turned to Bouer, and Link suddenly remembered that Aryll had called him by that name.

"This is my friend Kafei," Link blurted out, trying to spare any problems from occurring.

"Fascinating," replied Lyon dryly. "Supper will be ready soon. Sahasrahla, would you mind helping me? I have some roots that need cutting before _they become useless_. The rest of you can make yourselves at home."

The old man followed the short Kokiri, leaving Link with Aryll and Bouer in the sitting room.

"What is with him? Why is he so creepy with you and mean to your dad?" Link whispered to Aryll. She didn't immediately reply, and Link tensely drummed his fingers against the white shirt he had been wearing for days.

"We'll be out of here soon enough. Within the hour we should be leaving the country," Aryll replied simply. Her words echoed in Link's mind. It still seemed so strange that soon enough he'd be in a foreign land. He took solace that the people he cared about most were either with him, or he was on the way to find them.

However, Link realized there were some people that were left behind. While waiting for the food to be done, he had an idea, so he got up and walked to the old desk on the side of the room.

"What are you doing?" Bouer asked, but Link ignored him as he looked through the desk.

"Let's go help with dinner," Aryll uttered to Bouer, leaving Link alone in the room. He found a piece of parchment, a reed, and a bottle of black ink, and he set about writing a letter to Nabooru, the girl who worked at the Drigoor Bomb Shop. He addressed one side of it as such, and set about hastily writing a letter.

_Dear Nabooru, I can't thank you enough for your help. This is all a misunderstanding with the queen. But there is something going on in Arcadia, maybe the whole world, and I am going to try and find out what I can do to help._

_ I am sure you have questions, but I can't say too much now._

Link paused, wondering how to finish the letter. He heard Bouer shout from the other room, "I thought that Kokiri couldn't leave the forest or they'd die!" Link chuckled, and then gasped at the boy's comment. He had to finish the letter quickly in case they were leaving soon.

_If you want answers, there is a girl named Ilia in Torrhes. They probably think she's crazy, but everything she's saying is true. If you get this soon enough, I'll be at the Nockturn Inn in Kakariko in Hyrule. Don't refer to me by my name…_

He paused again, looking around the room. The name "Link" might well be tarnished in Arcadia.

_…and instead address me as Forest Boy. _

_ Sincerely,_

_ The guy you kissed by the rock_

Link folded up the letter and sat it on the table. He heard a clatter of pots from the adjacent room, and decided it was time to sit down for dinner. He entered the kitchen and saw Bouer and Aryll sitting around a large wooden table, much too large for a person living alone.

"I hope you're hungry kid," told Lyon to Link with a tone that reflected a nervous child. Ignoring the tone of voice, Link's stomach let out a large grumble – the last good meal he had was at the festival in Torrhes.

"Thanks Lyon!" Link replied as he was given a large plate of beans, rice, dali flowers, and mashed meat. Ignoring his manners, he ate his meal quickly. In the back of his mind, he still felt he would have to make a quick exit. However, both Aryll and Bouer threw caution to the wind and ate to their hearts' content. Sahasrahla, on the other hand, ate the slowest, picking at his food questioningly.

"Thank you old friend," he uttered as he ate a forkful of meat.

"You know each other?" Link asked through a mouthful of rice and beans. He swallowed and let his mouth hang open.

"You could say that," replied Lyon. Link imagined Sahasrahla accompanying Aryll as they participated in bronzeworking activities.

"We were both in the Arc of the Triforce," Sahasrahla muttered with a hint of disappointment. Both Link and Bouer stared at each other. Link tried to remember where he heard that before, at least until Aryll spoke up.

"They both were revolutionaries against the Hyrulian tyranny, back before my time."

"And _I_ helped turn those revolutionaries into this great nation of Arcadia we have today," Lyon retorted pompously. Despite the kind meal the Kokiri offered, Link was beginning to grow annoyed with him. He looked at Sahasrahla, and the old man's face turned a bright pink.

"Weren't you too, Sarsa?" quipped Bouer. Link glared at the Hyrulian boy for being so familial with the old man. He tried to think of something witty to both berate Bouer and save Sahasrahla from telling his story; he suddenly remembered that the old man traveled the world after working with the Arc. However, Lyon spoke up with a big smile on his face.

"He abandoned us! He was the Historian and was supposed to help us!"

Link saw both Aryll and Sahasrahla wince at those words. He wanted to leave immediately, regardless of manners.

"I think we should…" Link started, before Sahasrahla cut him off.

"Thank you lad, where are my manners. We should be giving back to our host instead of boring him with the past that we all wish to forget. Now… let me tell you a little story. Kafei, could you pass me that bottle?"

Bouer looked with excitement at Sahasarhla keeping up the naming charade, and handed him a bottle of wine. Link sat down his fork quietly with disgust. He didn't think he could eat anymore with such tension in the room. _Why can't we just leave_, he thought. However, Lyon eyed the old man with a slight smile… _whatever that means_, Link thought.

"My father once got me a job as a delivery man when I was a teenager. I transported a variety of goods of odd shapes and sizes. Now, a farmer gave me a jar of peas to deliver to a man living in the woods who claimed to be the Master of Strength. I gave him the bottle, only he couldn't open it. The 'Master' took me into the nearby village and had everyone in his sight try to open the bottle. None of them were successful. He paid me with a grimace and let me leave. For the next few weeks I lifted weights and set to become stronger, for fear I was weak like the villagers.

"The Master of Strength came to visit my house one day. My dad answered, and the Master demanded a refund of his money, due to the jar being impossible to open. I walked up to the two and offered my hand. The master declared, 'if you can get this open, it's yours!' I gave a quick prayer to the goddesses and put my hands on the bottle. With fierce determination, I turned my hand and opened the jar. The Master was flabbergasted, and he renounced his title on the spot. I put my fingers in the jar and pulled out a single snap-pea. Happily I put it in my mouth.

"'How was it?' the former Master of Strength asked. I replied that it was delicious, although they were quite horrible tasting to be honest.

"So you see, it doesn't matter what your title is; rather it is what you do with your life that defines you as a person," Sahasrahla spoke as he looked at Link, who looked down bashfully.

"And furthermore, it shows that the power of many people can make an impossible task doable. If it weren't for the townspeople and everyone trying to open the jar, I wouldn't have been able to open it," the old man added.

A round of applause erupted from the other end of the table, as Lyon was sitting there with a jaded smile. "Well spoken, my old friend," the Kokiri spoke with a grimace on his face. He continued, "I suppose the Historian couldn't have just sat around and watched the world pass him by."

"Not with so much of the world to see," Sahasrahla replied with his face glowed by the candles on the table.

"Tell me, do you still have that old flute?" asked Lyon. Link noticed there was a trace of hesitance in the Kokiri's voice, but didn't bother saying anything. So long as the old man was in control, everything would be fine.

"Yes, I carry it with me all of the time," responded Sahasrahla. He reached his hand into the pocket of his old dusty overcoat, and pulled out the same silver flute the old man had used that morning to stop the rain.

"That's it!" spoke Lyon excitedly as he stood up from his chair. Link's hairs stood up on his back.

"Could I try it out?" asked the Kokiri.

There was a moment of silence in the room, as Aryll, Bouer, Link, and Lyon awaited Sahasrahla's response. Slowly, with a wrinkled smile, the old man handed over the instrument across the table to the Kokiri.

"Majestic, isn't it?" asked Lyon as he studied the flute.

"I think we should be leaving. The sun is nearly down, and we truly enjoyed your hospitality," remarked Aryll with concern. She stood up and held her hand on her stomach. Without any other words, Link and Bouer followed her lead, eager to leave such an unusual place.

They stopped as Lyon put his lips up to the flute and began playing a haunting piece.

"No!" Sahasrahla uttered with grave fear as he stood up still. Lyon finished and looked up at the four of them.

"The Traitor's Lament…" he spoke simply. The wind suddenly shifted in the air.

"What does that mean?" asked Bouer with fear.

The candles on the table extinguished, causing Aryll to let out a gasp. Link's heart was pounding, for he knew their streak of luck since the night had of the festival had run out.

"What do we do?" shrieked Aryll in the darkness of the dining room.

"There's nothing you can do. They'll be here soon enough to take you traitors in," laughed Lyon. Link was panicking, and he tried to think of some way to escape. This way no way to end a quest. He concentrated on his hand and attempted to produce a ball of fire. He would burn the place down if that's what he needed to save his companions.

"ARGH!" Link shouted in frustration. He flailed his arms in his efforts to create a flame, but to no avail. He felt a small hand on his back and hoped it was Bouer.

"Your friend didn't tell you that your type of magic doesn't work here?" Lyon whispered from behind him. Link punched in the direction of the voice but missed in the darkness.

"They're coming…" Lyon muttered with a laugh. Link felt sick; he pulled out his sword instinctively.

"Father! What are we going to do?" Aryll asked impatiently.

Link backed up with the sword in his hand. He felt a set of curtains behind him, so he swung his sword at them. The faint glow of the moon illuminated the room. Link saw Aryll and Sahasrahla frantically whispering.

"It's no use, they're already here," Lyon uttered over the clamor of footsteps approaching the house.

Link held his sword steadily, ready to attack on a moment's notice. He contemplated stabbing at Lyon, but killing was not an option, not after how he felt after killing the soldier on the train all those weeks ago… when he lost Malon and Kafei to Hylian soldiers.

His heart swelled while thinking of his two friends stuck in a prison. He couldn't let the same thing happen to him.

"I suppose they forgot how to find my house among the decoys… I thank you, my love, for letting me share this night with you," Lyon remarked to Aryll. The faint moonlight showed her scowling at the little Kokiri, and it looked like she was ready to snap the man cleanly in half with her bare hands.

Aryll refrained from harming the man, and didn't move until Lyon left the room to walk to the door.

"Why didn't you just finish him?" Link whispered.

"After he served us dinner?" Aryll responded. Link glared at Sahasrahla, who seemed equally unable to do anything in the state of not using magic.

"There are soldiers… right outside. We can't let them just take us!" Link pleaded toward his companions. To his utter disappointment, Sahasrahla let out a dismissive sigh.

"We tried to leave the country, but we couldn't. It was either the soldiers taking us or the shadow creatures," Sahasrahla complained. Link couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"We can't just give up! We have to save Malon and Kafei. We have to save Zelda!" Link retorted. The old man's eyes glared at him.

"She's going on trial in five days for treason. I'm going to help her and my friends, with or without any of you," Link responded. He heard Lyon speak from the adjacent room.

"I'm sorry!" Link whispered as he opened the window. Somewhat reluctantly, he put his right foot up on the ledge, looked back, and jumped down onto the barren ground of the forest. 

"Wait for me!" shouted Bouer from behind him. The red-haired boy jumped out of the room in a single leap. Bouer wasn't Link's first choice for a companion on the adventure, but at least the boy would be able to help him enter Hyrule and finish what he set out to do.

Link and Bouer quietly scurried away from their house, trying to run parallel to the dirt roadway. They weren't free yet, not with soldiers hot on their trail.

A few seconds later, they heard a brawl erupt from Lyon's house. Link winced, wondering if his two mentors would be able to escape.


	30. The God of Termina

"I'm sorry!" called out Link with a hoarse whisper. Aryll barely heard it above the grumble in the adjacent room. Aryll watched Bouer look back at her tentatively before he jumped out the window.

"Wait for me!" he whispered.

"Halt!" screamed a soldier who accompanied Lyon into the room. Aryll watched helplessly as four armed men entered the dining room. She looked again at her father, but the old man uselessly stood there silently with his eyes closed. Her throat became dry as her heart began to race.

"It's fine, those two children aren't worth any hassle," Lyon remarked calmly.

"It is not up to you to determine who is worth the hassle. We have a very serious situation on our hands, and the melody you played is a sacred one not to be taken lightly," chastised the same soldier who spoke before. Aryll wasn't sure whether to feel relieved. She just wished she could communicate the normal way with her father, but the disruption of magic made her unsure of what to do.

"Excuse me? I helped find the Arc!" Lyon spoke as he held up his fist. A dull outline of a triangle was inked on his hand, illuminated after one of the soldiers lit a lantern. The head soldier looked at his three companions with a concerned look.

"Can you tell us the names of the two children who left, before we move on?" the head soldier asked.

"Hey, we haven't done anything wrong!" Aryll muttered uncontrollably, but one of the soldiers unstably held his sword toward her. He had a funny look on his face. She swallowed painfully – she didn't like how this evening was ending up. She glared loathingly toward Lyon as he puffed up his small Kokiri chest. _What did I ever see in him?_ she asked herself.

"The two missing children were named Kafei and Bouer," Lyon spoke. Aryll let out a sigh of relief. She had almost forgotten that Link had not given his real name. However, she became concerned that Sahasrahla hadn't uttered anything as of yet – perhaps he was panicking as much as she was? Or perhaps he was planning something. She just hoped he wasn't going to do anything would regret. She had put too much time into making sure Link would be prepared for his adventure.

Aryll was so deep in thought that she missed the leader of the four talking quietly to Lyon.

"…the same ones… yes, she matches the description of the queen's daughter."

She scowled at the soldiers, wondering how her appearance was well-known if she had only been considered a princess for three days.

"Lock her up. She is the seventh one we've captured today," remarked the head soldier nonchalantly without looking at Aryll. Two of the soldiers approached her with flimsy swords.

She smiled, suddenly prepared to fight after feeling a rush of energy. Aryll caught a glimpse of father giving a slight nod. In one sudden motion, Aryll swung her leg under the soldier to her right while she grabbed the chair in front of her. She pushed it toward the soldier on the left and knocked him down. Before anyone realized what had happened, Aryll grabbed the flimsy sword by the soldier on the right.

_Telluric dagger, works best on a side angle_, she mentally described to herself.

One of the remaining soldiers ran around the table toward her, climbing over his fallen companion. He held his sword out and lunged toward Aryll, but she sidestepped and held her dagger on its side. She watched as the soldier fell onto the blade; it pierced the skin on his left side just above the heart and emerged from the other side. He fell to the floor, gasping for air as blood gushed from his wounds.

Aryll grabbed his sword and eyed the soldier to her right that she had tripped. He pushed his hands to get up, but Aryll didn't let him; she stabbed him in the stomach. Like his companion, the soldier collapsed to the floor in a bloody mess. She looked at the soldier she hit with the chair, but he was still on the floor, knocked out.

"Interesting," spoke the head soldier. Aryll glared at him with unbridled disgust. There was something unusual about him.

"You can tell your father to stop masking himself, he is wasting his energy. I'm glad we found you just in time," he continued with a grin.

"What… he can't. I tried, you can't do magic here," Aryll retorted, although quite unsure of herself. Lyon looked puzzled as well.

"No one can do magic here, Ureem. This village was designed that way," Lyon uttered to the head soldier. Aryll turned and saw a look of utter fear in her father's eyes, which mirrored Ureem's face exactly. The room went quiet.

_BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM_!

Aryll stumbled backward as a cloud of dust erupted in the room, dropping her sword. She instinctively felt her stomach, hoping her baby was alright, and then proceeded to feel around for the sword.

"What in Din was that about?" shouted Lyon from behind the smoke. Aryll found the handle of the sword and cautiously stood up.

"That was nothing that Din, Nayru, or Farore did," Sahasrahla spoke. He was standing perfectly still, staring maliciously at Ureem. The Arcadian soldier held his pose on the opposite side of the room, across from the remnants of what was once a dining room.

"I didn't know any of us still existed," Ureem muttered bashfully. He glanced at Lyon and then back at Aryll and her father. Her face flushed – she thought she and her father were on good terms, that there were no more secrets, but evidently she was mistaken. She held her silence as Sahasrahla and Ureem stared at each other unsteadily.

"You are young and undeveloped but quick, and I am old and powerful, but don't have the aim like I used to. I dare say, we are evenly matched," Sahasrahla spoke honorably to Ureem, the young soldier.

"No, that isn't an option! You broke the law and must be punished!" screamed Lyon. He walked toward the old man.

"Stop," commanded both Sahasrahla and Ureem at the same time.

"He is right, it would be futile. You may go, but be careful," Ureem spoke to Aryll and Sahasrahla with his head bowed. Aryll couldn't believe what she heard, but she didn't want to question him. She had no idea what sort of power he had… that her father apparently also had.

"I'll report you to your superiors! You can't do this!" Lyon protested, jumping up and down and pointing at Aryll like a monkey.

"I'll do what I want. They told me I was going after the perpetrators of the recent regicide. That is clearly not the case," Ureem uttered to Lyon before bowing again at Aryll and Sahasrahla. He continued, "leave now before more troops come."

Aryll walked toward the window that Bouer and Link had jumped out not long before. Without looking back, she climbed out into the moonlit woods. Maybe she would be able to catch up to her companions soon enough. _Yes, as soon as we're all back together, we'll be fine_, Aryll thought to herself.

"Help me," Sahasrahla pleaded. Aryll turned around and saw her father holding his hand out. He looked so old, covered in dust and trembling as he held one leg on the windowsill. She ignored his plea and walked away from the house.

"Here, I'll help you Sarsa," she heard Ureem speak from behind her. Her cheeks grew hot in annoyance. _Why is he helping is?_ she pondered.

_Wait for me_, spoke Sahasrahla from within Aryll's head. She let out an audible exhale and stood there while her ancient father hobbled toward her.

"We should go this way," the old main said nonchalantly while pointing toward their right.

"Are you going to explain yourself?" Aryll asked with the same apathetic tone of voice. He did not answer at first.

The two walked in silence, guided by the moon above. Their tired feet meandered over the hard, frozen ground.

"I suppose I should," Sahasrahla finally spoke. "…now that we're far enough away from your ex-lover's house."

"Don't make this about me!" Aryll replied in annoyance. _How dare he!_ she thought.

The old man grumbled.

"What was that?" Aryll asked gruffly, stopping in her tracks. She looked away from her father, focusing on a frozen lake not far away.

"I'm sorry," Sahasrahla spoke simply. Aryll was not used to her father apologizing, and yet this was the second time in two days.

"Can you at least explain yourself before we die of the cold?" Aryll asked, slightly less harshly.

"Mmm…. alright," the old man muttered. He held out his hand and produced a ball of fire, setting it down halfway between himself and Aryll. The fire let out a comforting warmth, but at what cost? _What if it was the same magic that wasn't of divine origin?_ she contemplated.

"The magic I used back there is a type of dark magic. When I traveled the world when I was younger, I visited a faraway land called Termina," the old man started before stopping and looking down dejectedly. Aryll stared intensely at her father – he had never revealed this portion of his past. Growing up, she was always forbidden of asking details of the strange land.

"I met a strange imp who offered to teach me, an outsider, the ways of their strange land. In three days' time I learned more from him than I ever thought possible. He taught me a new source of energy more powerful than the magic passed down by the goddesses. I was young, a student of knowledge and history, and I was too keen to learn than to worry about any ramifications. The only downside to the power is that it, like any other form, corrupts. It was a dark energy, passed down by the god of Termina, and capable of ruining anything but the purest of heart.

"There was only one catch of the imp teaching me this power. He gave me a pendant that I had to keep with me at all times. He didn't say why, only that something terrible would happen if I was removed from it. When I came back to Arcadia, I wasn't sure if I believed him so. We had just achieved our independence, and everything seemed ideal. Like any student of history, I decided to investigate the claims of the imp and study the pendant. Unfortunately, it happened at the same time as the Arc of the Triforce asked me to identify our leader. I didn't know it, but by that time, I had already been corrupted by the dark magic. That is why I grew isolated from my colleagues and chose… your mother to be the leader.

"By the time it was too late, I discovered what the pendant truly did. It was a portal, opened between our world and Termina by however far the pendant was dislocated from me. The Terminan god was angry, however. In my first experiment at removing myself from the pendant, there was a horrific storm that struck the desert."

The old man took a pause. Aryll awaited his next words. Nothing up to this point was worth keeping a secret.

"You see… in that horrific storm, there came dark, horrible creatures that attacked our post-war world. They were the same creatures that killed Link's parents. They were… are… the same creatures that are after us..."

"So the shadow creatures are after you?" Aryll asked, trying to process the story.

"I don't know. I only removed the pendant away from me for a minute, and that was year's ago. I've kept it in my pocket at all times ever since," Sahasrahla responded as he padded his jacket.

"But why did they attack my mom? Or Link? They only came about after he went into that stupid cave," Aryll rambled.

"I don't know," the old man repeated.

"Link! How could you let him go if you knew the shadow creatures were that dangerous!" Aryll shrieked.

"There is more to tell…" Sahasrahla began.

"What now?" she complained.

"Have you ever looked at a symbol of the Triforce? Have you noticed there was an invisible triangle in the middle?"

Aryll felt the hairs on her neck stand up and she awaited her father to finish.

"No, now is not the time. We must find Link as soon as possible. That is what's important," the old man remarked. He extinguished the fire and hobbled forward, picking a seemingly random direction to begin walking.

"Father, please!" Aryll pleaded.

"It is too dangerous to speak of it. We must find the boys."


	31. Bouer

Link and Bouer walked quietly across the cold, hard ground. Bouer may have been used to doing a lot of travel by himself, but Link didn't relish the idea of not knowing where he was going, not having any food, and not being properly prepared against the things out there that wanted him killed.

"That was a very cowardly move," spoke Bouer, breaking the silence.

"I didn't want to fight. I'm scared," Link replied, pausing as the words escaped his mouth. Announcing his fear felt wrong, almost like a lie. Link shook his head and continued venting. "I don't want to kill anyone else for this ridiculous quest. Why should I keep risking my life? For some… senator who I don't particularly care for? For stupid Hyrule that hates my country?"

Link was walking quite quickly by the time his rant finished. The much younger Bouer nearly had to run to keep up.

"Wait, Link. Are you really serious about what you just said?" the red-haired boy asked as he pulled Link to a stop. Link stood there still, ignoring the bitter cold. He thought about what he said, and grew angry.

"Yea! _Your_ country likes to flaunt how perfect it is by pushing everyone around it. Hyrule has all of the good land on this continent, leaving the rest of us to suffer," Link spat out. His hand drifted toward his sword on his back, but he refrained from doing anything more.

"Now wait a second!" Bouer screamed in reply, breathing heavily. "You were chosen by the goddesses to save the whole world. Were you not?" the boy shrieked.

"You're not even supposed to know that you little freak!" Link shouted back. He lifted his arms up and punched the air in annoyance.

"Are you the Hero of Time?" Bouer asked emphatically, ignoring Link's gesture.

"Yea, I guess I am. But they never mentioned anything about the Hero having family and friends. And every time the Hero had a well-defined path of what he was supposed to do. How is protecting one senator going to change the world?" Link replied angrily. He started walking again, not caring if the boy was following him. However, he heard the soft footsteps running to catch up with him.

"You mean protect the princess?" Bouer asked from behind him. Link stopped again, but he did not turn around. "Zelda Orion, the one the call the princess?" the boy continued.

"Why are you calling her princess?"

"She's the first female Leader of the Opposition in Hyrule history, and she acts so majestically when she's governing. It's like power flows naturally through her."

Images of the senator flashed through Link's head, but he couldn't imagine what the boy was talking about. He turned around.

"Yea, I'm supposed to help her or something within five… no, four days now," Link spoke softer. _Could it be that the legends were that simple? _Link thought. He never thought anything about his name – he once met a traveling Goron also named Link. But if Senator Zelda Orion had one of the pieces of the Triforce, she would certainly be worth protecting, and such urgency would surely be sent in a message by the goddesses. That must mean that Ganon was the third holder of the Triforce, which meant….

"Do you get it yet?" Bouer asked impatiently.

Link stared at the red-haired boy. Never before that very moment did Link appreciate just how much danger he was in. Not only did he have shadow creatures chasing him, but his company was the clone of the possessor of the Triforce of Power. He slowly stepped backward and again reached for his sword.

"Wait, Sahasrahla knows all of this," Bouer quipped as he advanced. In anger, Link let go of the sword and shot out a flame from his arms.

"What exactly does he know?" Link barked. He didn't want to imagine the old man and Bouer colluding.

"Before we left Torrhes, I told him I was trying to help you and all of Hyrule! I swear to Din!"

"And how exactly are you helping us? So we can traipse into Hyrule with you holding our hands?"

"Hardly," Bouer snorted. "I was just doing you a favor by killing off Ingo."

"Just say what's on your mind, why don't you!" Link shouted angrily.

"Why should I help you?" the boy shouted back.

"Because when those shadow creatures come tonight, only I'll be able to stop them with my magic power," Link replied, trying to sound threatening. He scowled after realizing how lame the end of his sentence was.

"Fair enough…" Bouer stammered before looking down. "Anyway, I killed Ingo so he couldn't testify against Zelda. Once word got out about the train incident, I realized she was in trouble," Bouer remarked proudly. Link was surprised how calmly the boy could discuss ending someone's life.

"Wait, testify? As in against Zelda, the princess senator or something?" Link asked.

"Yea, the same Zelda that Sahasrahla had been meeting."

"Farore help me, I am an idiot," Link uttered.

"Don't worry, I knew that," Bouer remarked bitterly. Link couldn't help but smile at the boy.

"Din warned me I had to save Zelda before her trial ended. But from what?" Link pondered quietly.

"Probably so she wouldn't get locked up. She's as much of a part of this as you are. My creator Ganon must be stopped," Bouer spoke quickly. The boy thrust his hands to the necklace with the tiny heart, but let them go after a tense few seconds.

"But you're him! Why would you want to stop him? Hasn't he ushered in some golden age of Hyrule?" Link asked quickly. He then remembered his earlier visions from the goddesses, how the Hylians were behind the train that threatened to turn all of Arcadia into redeads.

"Shake my hand, blood brother," Bouer told Link as the boy stretched out his hand. Link was tepid. He didn't want to acknowledge the blood bond he made under the influence of nepenthe – the elixir that removed his memory and made him do crazy things.

"Why should I?" Link asked, before shaking his head and removing the glove of his right hand. He realized that was a cowardly move in avoiding, so he held out his right hand and connected to that of his companion.

"_Move faster. You are useless to me if you can't deliver that on time," a voice echoed as a young Bouer carried a heavy package._

_The image changed._

"_You disappointed me even when my hopes are set so low on you." The same voice echoed while Bouer walked in a castle, shackled by his hands and feet. _

_The image changed again._

"_How is it you and I are identical if you possess not a modicum of my intelligence? Now leave me alone, slave," spoke Ganon. The young man watched his clone walk away from him in tears. The boy had scars on his back from his recent whippings. Eli Ganon looked into the mirror and brushed his hair out of his face. He wouldn't stay young forever. He needed his clone ready if anything were to ever happen to him. Ganon let out a laugh. He had nothing to worry about. He had just won his first election to the Hyrulian Senate. He couldn't help that his clone couldn't name the heads of state of the neighboring countries. If he couldn't gain power and influence by producing scientific wonders, then he would do it from within the corrupt system._

_The image changed again._

_The prime minister held a picture of a male and female in adjacent prison cells. He smiled and crumpled the image in his hand._

Link let go of Bouer's hand.

"You saw them?" Link gasped, disgusted at himself for letting his guard down at the boy.

"I share thoughts with my creator. I didn't know who they were, I swear," Bouer replied sincerely.

Link thought about the images he just saw. "But do you know where that would be?" he asked.

Bouer looked angrily at Link. "Probably the Great Basin Prison, near Kakariko," he responded before starting to resume walking. Link thought about the previous images he saw, how poorly treated Bouer was.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry how he treated you," Link spoke as he resumed walking as well. "Why did you take so long to tell and show me all of this?" he added.

"I didn't think I could trust you. You don't seem like the legendary Hero, and I don't exactly see courage emanating from you," Bouer replied darkly.

Link opened his mouth to retort, but he couldn't think of a reply. Maybe it was cowardly leaving Aryll and Sahasrahla behind. Maybe it was cowardly focusing on his friends when there were bigger forces at play.

"Well, will we make it within four days?" Link asked, again reminding himself of the deadline.

"At this rate, we might, but do you even care?" Bouer asked.

"Yea, I do. And I am really sorry that he treated you like that. Why didn't you do anything?"

"I am doing something. I'm helping you stop him." Bouer shot Link a slight smile.

"Fancy a run?" Link asked expectantly. He remembered that the only good moment the two of them shared was a run through Torrhes. It felt like such a long time ago.

"Nah, it's too cold. Maybe tomorrow to make up some time," Bouer replied depressingly.

The two of them continued walking in the cold, dark night. After a few minutes, Bouer stopped.

"What is it Bouer?" Link asked.

"I'm tired of that name. It felt cool back there at that house being called something different, like a fresh identity. I don't have to be stuck with the same title. I can be something different!" Bouer replied cheerfully.

"So what do you want to be called then?" Link pondered.

"I'm not sure yet," Bouer responded before bursting out laughing. Link joined the laughter, and the two men's voices filled the dark forest while they walked toward their future.


End file.
